


Changing the future

by GhostWriter89



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Family, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2019-11-01 07:21:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 26,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17862890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostWriter89/pseuds/GhostWriter89
Summary: He knew that it was wrong but this was his chance to safe his parents and the city he loved.





	1. Keeping you safe

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my first language therefore all mistakes are mine. I would appreciate every feedback i can get, to write better stories.

A black limousine drove on the quiet interstate which led to Central City. Star City long left behind, not even the city lights could be seen anymore. Thomas Queen´s head was resting on his mothers knees, she caressed through his dark blond hair. “ Where are we”, Thomas opened his eyes and looked directly in his mothers eyes. “ About two hours away from Star City, try to get some more sleep”, his mother replied with a smile. Thomas sighed before he snuggled closer to his mother and drifted off again. Felicity continued to stroke his hair while her thoughts raced through her mind. She knew that Star City was becoming to dangerous, so she decided that she had to get her children to safety. Her daughter was not really a fan of her decision and after a heated argument Mia stormed out and didn´t came back so she packed a bag for her son and told him to get in the limo. Thomas didn´t want to leave either but caved really quickly when he saw his Mothers stern look. Felicity did know that Central City wasn´t exactly save either since Barry vanished and never came back but still safer as Star City. She had called Iris and asked her if Thomas could stay at her home for a few weeks until she had found whoever was trying to bomb Star City and Iris immediately agreed to look after the boy. 

Felicity looked out the tainted windows of the limo and wished that Oliver was here with them, ever since he left things got worse, she still remembered the last conversation she had with him as it would have been yesterday. “Promise me you´ll come back”, they were cuddled up on the couch as Oliver approached the topic of leaving. “ I promise you nothing will ever keep me away from you, you´re my light that guides me through the darkness. I only need one thing from you and that is not to tell Tommy and Mia why I had to leave”, Oliver kissed her softly and hugged her closer to him, while she nodded in his chest with teary eyes. That was five years ago and she never lost hope that someday Oliver would return not only to her and his family but also that his return would mean that the Green Arrow also would. Back then Thomas didn´t understand why his father just left, Mia did and was angry at her for letting him leave like that. A single tear escaped Felicity´s eye and she quickly wiped it away. “ Ms. Smoak, there is a gas station ahead where we need to make a stop to refuel”, Felicity snapped out of her thoughts as she heard her drivers voice. She pushed the button above her head so she could answer him “ Thanks for letting me know Henry”. The limo slowed down and stopped beside a fuel dispenser. As Henry got out to fill up the car, Felicity careful took Thomas´s head, slipped out from under him and laid him down again, before she herself got out of the car and went into the gas station to buy some snacks and something to drink. 

Felicity browsed through the aisle of the little store and quickly found what she looked for. She then went to the check out where a young man sat behind the counter and watched TV. “ Evening Miss,” he greeted her and stood up from his stool. The young man who´s name was Benny according to his tag on his chest began to scan the items which Felicity had put on the counter and then put them in a plastic bag before he told her the total amount she had to pay “ $ 15,46”. “ I also pay for the fuel”. Benny looked out of the window and saw how Henry closed up the gas cap. “ Of course, your total is now $76,14 Miss”. She gave him a hundred dollar bill and told him to keep the change before she left. Henry was on his way to pay for the gas but she signaled him that she already took care of that before she handed him a sandwich and a bottle of water. “ Thank you Ms. Smoak”. “ You´re welcome Henry”, Felicity opened the car door and watched her still sleeping Son for a moment, he had changed his position and was now facing the back rest. She did´t want to wake so she carefully entered and put his head back on her knees. The bag laying at her feet long forgotten, all she could do was watch her Son which reminded her in so many ways of Oliver. After Mia was born they decided that she was enough for them, the already had a Son even if he didn´t live with them. Felicity always new that the universe had other plans. She remembered dropping the baby bomb on Oliver after Mia´s seventh birthday party. He was shocked and couldn´t stop stuttering before she took his hand and placed it on her lower belly and she kissed him. On this day life threw them another curve ball as it had with Mia but they made it as always. Thomas woke up as the limo enter the limits of Central City but didn´t move, he glanced up to his mother who had noticed him waking up and smiled at him. “ Morning, baby”, with her fingers she combed through his hair. Thomas rose up in a sitting position and laid his head on Felicity´s shoulder. “ Are you hungry? Thirsty?” “ No, thanks mom”. “ What´s wrong baby”. “ Nothing I just can´t understand why I have to live here now?” “ T.J we talked about this, Star City isn´t safe right now.” “ Mia stayed behind and you will go back”. “ I will get you when it´s over”, she reassured him. “ Promise”. “ Pinkie promise”, she said and gave Thomas a tight hug. 

The limo pulled up to Iris West Allen´s apartment complex, Henry got out of the limousine and opened the car door for Felicity and Thomas, before he got the bags out of the trunk. “ Thank you Henry, I booked at room for you at a nearby hotel, please get some rest”, Felicity took the bags from Henry. “ You´re welcome, Ms. Smoak, When should I pick you up tomorrow”. “ Oh, i´ll take the train back to Star City in a couple of days, i´ll give you a call”. “ Very well, enjoy your stay. Goodbye young Mr. Queen”. “ Bye Henry”. They both watched as Henry got back into the car and drove away, before the entered the building. Neither of them spoke as the rode the elevator up to 19th floor were Iris´s loft was located. It didn´t take long for Iris´s to open the door after Felicity knocked, she greeted them both with a hug before stepping aside to let them in. Iris showed them the guest room in which Thomas would be staying for as long as he needed. Thomas but his bag on the bed and went into the adjoined bathroom to freshen up like is Mother had suggested. In the meanwhile Felicity and Iris went back into the living room and sat on the couch. Iris had made each of them a cup of coffee. “ I sent Nora out to get some breakfast, I also told her to take her time. How are you”. “ I´m angry that it came to this. All I wanted was for it be over after Oliver left and never came back but when Archer discovered those plans by mistake I knew I had to do something, even if it meant to my children in the process”. “ I guess Mia didn´t want to come”. “ She is her fathers daughter”, Felicity sadly smiled and looked at Iris. “ And Tommy?” “ He try´s to understand but I don´t think he does, instead of fighting me he just complied and got in the car. I sometimes wonder how it would be if Oliver were here, he always got through to them”. “ I know what you mean, since Barry vanished I feel like I lose Nora by the second, yes she was just a baby back then but once a daddy´s girl always daddy´s girl.” 

Thomas stood in the hallway and listened closely to what the women were saying, his Mother was right I didn´t understand why he had to leave only that it was to dangerous to stay, but she didn´t told everything so he was confused. Star City was always a dangerous place and got even more dangerous since the Glades became a separate City, but the still lived there. “ Has someone told you lately how Tommy looks exactly like is father”, he heard Iris say. “ No but I see it every day and not just his looks Iris, his whole character reminds me of Oliver sometimes. The way he tries to be strong for me even if he´s almost losing it. Like he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and all I wanna do is to make it better.” “ That´s what Mothers do”. Iris squeezed Felicity´s hand. Thomas had heard enough and entered the living room. “ Mom, i´m hungry”, as soon as the words left his mouth the front door opened and Nora came in with a few bags of take out. “ Best timing ever” Iris stood up and helped her daughter set the table. “ I didn´t know what you guess wanted so I brought a little bit of everything”, said Nora as she unpacked the bags. They all sat down at the kitchen table and began to eat.

Two days later

It was the middle of the night when Felicity was awoken by moans and whimpers coming from the guest room and new immediately that Thomas had a bad dream. She shot up from the couch and hurried to the guest room. “ Please don´t, no”, Tommy mumbled and turned from side to side as she entered the room. “ Tommy, you are dreaming, everything is okay, i´m here”, she whispered as she tried to wake him up by rubbing his shoulder. Tommy opened his eyes and sat up fast “ Mom?” Felicity pulled him into a hug. “ I´m here, baby”, she tried to comfort him as she stoked his back and softly spoke to him. “ Everything okay?”, Iris stood in the door with a still sleepy face. “ Yeah, he just had a bad dream. Go back to bed”. Felicity changed her position so she could lay down with Tommy as Iris closed the door and went back to bed. Tommy´s heavy breathing returned to normal as he was snuggled up against his mother. “ Please don´t leave me, Mom” he pleaded. “ I´ll never leave you baby, we just have to spend some time apart”. Her heart ached as she spoke, not knowing if she ever come back. Doubts begin to form in her mind if she really made the right choice to bring him here. Thomas was here beautiful baby boy who filled up her heart the moment she had heard his heartbeat at her first ultrasound appointment. “ Would you stay with me please”, Tommy pleaded before snuggling up closer to her then before. “ Always”. It took less than five minutes and Tommy was asleep again, Felicity on the other hand could not go back to sleep for another half hour. She thought about Mia and Oliver and wondered were it went wrong. 

When Felicity woke up the next morning from a dreamless sleep, she was confused of where she was because she clearly remembered falling asleep on the couch in the living room. She felt the warm body beside her and the events of last night flooded her memory. Tommy´s bad dream, her rushing to her son, his pleading for her not to leave him alone. Her still foggy mind was suddenly awake as she smelled freshly brewed coffee. She glanced at the alarm clock beside her on the night table and groaned. “ 6a.m”, Felicity mumbled before she carefully got up and left the room. As she entered the kitchen Iris immediately handed her a cup of coffee. “ Everything alright with T.J” “ He had a bad dream last night, since Oliver had to leave five years ago the come and go. Every time he has them he pleads to not leave him alone, which right now make me wonder if I made the right decision to bring him here. God Iris, i´m such a bad mother”. Felicity put her head in her hands and sighed. “ No, Felicity look I can´t imagine what you´re going through, but I know that you would never leave your kids if you had a choice. Tommy will be safe here and you´ll pick him up when this is all over.” Iris took both of Felicity´s hands in her´s and looked her friend. “ Let´s make some breakfast for our kids”, Iris let go off Felicity´s hands and started up the griddle to make some pancakes. 

Tommy woke up to music and the smell of pancakes, his mother wasn´t beside him anymore and he hoped that it wasn´t here cooking he had to face in the kitchen. He crawled out of bed and went to the bathroom to relief himself. After washing his hands he left the bedroom and almost collided with Nora who looked as tired as him. “ Morning”, she mumbled. “ Morning”. Nora and Tommy entered the kitchen and what they found brought a smile to their faces. Felicity and Iris were both covert in flour, singing their hearts out to some old song Tommy didn´t even try to remember. “ Good morning beautiful children of ours”, greeted Felicity as she danced over to them to give Tommy a kiss on his cheek. “ Mom, please tell me you didn´t cook”, Tommy know very well that his Mother had a lot of talents but cooking wasn´t one of them. “ Relax, Iris cooked. I just watched”. “ Oh, thank god”, Tommy mumbled under his breath. After breakfast it was time for Felicity to go back to Star City. The whole drive to the train station Tommy was snuggled up against his Mother and didn´t speak a word. He didn´t care that he was a fifteen year old teenager, he was about to lose his Mother for god knows how long and wanted to savior this moment. Other kids his age had not to deal with this stuff. Felicity kissed his head a couple of time and whispered the same promise over and over again until it was edged in his mind. “ I´ll always come back”. Her thoughts still tried to change her mind but her heart told her that she made the right decision. He would be safe her and nobody would know that Oliver Queens son was here. She had told Iris to enlist him in school under the name West as a precaution. His name would be Thomas Jonas West for the next couple of months. She also set up a fund for Iris so that she wouldn´t have to worry about money one of the perks when you own a company. They all got out of the car before they went inside the train station and looked for Felicity´s track. The train was already waiting to depart as they got there. Felicity thanked Iris and Nora hugging them both before she turned to her son. Tommy had tears in his eyes and few of them already rolled down his checks. “ Please don´t go Mom”, he sniffed. “ I have to baby, there is nothing in this world that could keep me from coming back to you and I promise you i´ll get you back”, Felicity herself had to fight tears as she pulled Tommy into a tight hug. “ I love you Mom”, Tommy couldn´t hold back anymore and began sobbing. “ I love you too baby boy, so much. Now promise me you be a gentleman and be good until I get you okay” Felicity sadly smiled at her son and gave him one last hug. She then boarded the train and gave them a last wave as a goodbye. Iris had pulled Tommy to close to her while he cried in her shoulder. The train began to move and slowly departed from the track. 

3 Month later

Thomas never broke his promise to his Mother and had settled in fast. He and Nora became close friends and Iris was glad that he had someone to talk to. Thomas also was a good student his grades were improving since he started. Nora told her that the other kids were bulling him and that he allowed nobody to help him. His school also had a archery class which he attended. His teacher Mr. Matthews told Iris once “ that boy has a gift”. Iris just smiled and nodded in agreement. She didn´t know if Felicity wanted her son to learn archery but the way his face lit up every time he hit the middle of the target confirmed her suspicion, he was happy and for that Felicity couldn´t be angry at her. Tommy needed some new clothes because of a grow spurt, so Iris picked Nora and him up from school to go shopping. After two hours Tommy finally found some clothes he liked, tried them on and Iris paid for them. When they got home, Iris told both children to do their homework and also promised them pizza and a movie for dinner. Both teenagers cheered and went to their separate rooms to work on their homework. A hour later all three of them sat on the couch and together the watched “Freaky Friday” or as Iris called it a classic movie when Iris´s phone rang. Iris stood up to go and get it. She didn´t recognized the number but picked up anyway. “ Hello Iris West speaking”. “ Hi Iris, it´s Mia, something happened to Mom.” “ What happened” Iris looked at Tommy and Nora who were still watching the movie. She left the living room and went to her bedroom. “ Mom is dead, the police called it a mocking gone wrong but I know she was murdered”. “ Oh my god, Mia i´m so sorry.” “ Don´t just tell my brother and keep him safe okay.” “ Of course” Iris was in shock and before she could say something Mia hung up. Her thoughts were racing through her mind, how can she tell the son of one of her best friends that he his mother was dead and he was an orphan. “ You cant break down right now, out there is a boy who will need all your strength to get through this”. Iris went back to the two teenagers in the living room.“ Who was it”, Nora asked. “ It was Mia, something happened to Felicity. She is dead”. Iris watched Tommy as her words sunk in and was immediately by his side as tears streamed down his face. “ She promised to come back to me”, Tommy sobbed uncontrollable as Iris held him tight against her. “ I know sweetie” “ What happened”. “ The police told your sister that it was a mocking gone wrong”. “ I want to be alone”, Tommy got up and went into his room. “ Mom are you okay?” Nora asked her Mother. “ I don´t know”. Iris hugged Nora tight with her eyes on Tommy´s door. 

It has been a week since Iris had to tell Tommy that his Mother was dead and she started to worry about him. He barley ate, had nightmares every night and did he did not speak to anyone. She was sure he just needed time but she also knew that he had to talk to someone. Every time she or Nora tried to talk to Tommy, he just shrugged with his shoulders or shook his head. Iris had told him that he could stay home from school as long as he needed too but he just shrugged it off and left the apartment. Iris was at S.T.A.R Labs as Nora called her to let Iris know that Tommy had gotten into a fight and almost broke the other kid´s nose before a teacher had dragged him of the boy and into the principal´s office. It didn´t take long for her phone to ring again after Nora had hung up. She crapped her things and drove to the school to pick Tommy up, he was suspended for two weeks. “ Hello, i´m here to pick up Thomas West”, Iris greeted the principals secretary. “ Of course, but Mr. Johnson would like a word with you first,” the secretary stood up and announced that Mrs. West-Allen was here. “ Ah, Mrs. West-Allen come in”, principal Johnson who was a short man with little hair on his head ushered Iris in his office before he turned to Tommy “ Well Mr. West we are done here, please wait outside”. Thomas got up and left the office as the door behind him closed. “ Mr. West is quit young man, he not once talked back to me. He didn´t even answer my questions on why he almost broke another kids nose”, Mr. Johnson told Iris. “ His Mother just passed away last week and he is still grieving, which of course didn´t gave him the right to lash out like that.” “ I´m sad to hear this and believe it our not I do know how Thomas must feel right now”, Mr. Johnson surprised Iris with his words. “ Maybe a two week suspension is a bit harsh given the circumstances. Three days are enough but he can as much time off as he needs”. “ Thank you Mr. Johnson. “ You´re welcome and my deepest condolences”. A hand on Tommy´s shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts and he looked up. Iris smiled at him, “ready to go?” He nodded, stood up and followed her out of the office.

Tommy immediately went to his room as soon as they got home. While Mr. Johnson talked to Iris in his office he decided to go back to Star City to find his sister. All he had to do was to stuff some cloth in his backpack and leave the apartment as quiet as possible. Tommy packed everything he would need and last memory of his parents before he placed a letter on his bed and quietly left his room and went to the front door. Tommy looked for Iris but couldn´t find her so he quickly left the apartment and ran as fast as he could. Tommy reached the nearest bus stop and didn´t have to wait long as the bus already turned around the corner. He checked the train app on his phone for the earliest train to Star City which would leave in two hours. Hopefully Iris wouldn´t noticed until then that he was gone. An hour later he had bought a ticket and was now sitting on a bench waiting for his train. Tommy knew that if he was gonna do this he needed something from one of SMOAK Technology´s old warehouses. Lucky for him there were only two in Star City and one in the Glades. “ You´re only thirteen, to young to be hero in green leather”, Tommy could hear his Mothers voice in his head. Yes he was only thirteen but when nobody else was willing to take a stand he would because as his Father once told him “ It´s the strong´s duty to protect the weak”. He first had to find his sister though and at least speak to her about his plans. “ You running away or are you just waiting to be found”, Iris sat herself beside him. “I´m not going back Iris”. “ I know” “ Then what are you doing her?” “ To give you this”, Iris handed him a credit card and a piece of paper. “ You´ll need some money”. “Thank you”. “ If someone asks I tried to change your mind”, Iris gave him a weak smile. “ Sure you did”. “Listen I don´t know what you´re planning and i´m sure that i´ll regret it as soon as you are gone but I understand while you are going.” “ Really”. “ Thomas Jonas Queen, you will not believe it now but you´re your parents son and you have more in common with them as you think. Just promise me that if it´s to much for you, you will run.” “ I promise”. Thomas gave Iris a hug. “ Tell Nora, i´m sorry and that i´ll come back”. Iris was by his side until he could board his train, she also watched as the train left the tracks. She stood on the track until she couldn´t see the train anymore before she left the train station and drove home. 

Tommy was asleep as the train reached Star City or better The Glades and the conductor woke him up. “ We reached the Glades boy, time for you to get of the train”, which startled Tommy and for a split second he didn´t know where he was. The conductor watched the boy with a stern look on his face. Tommy grabbed his stuff and left the train. After Tommy exited the station he looked for a ride to the city limits of the Glades. A Taxi driver was kind enough to take him there without asking to many questions for which Tommy was glad. The car stopped in front of a apartment complex, he paid the man and got out of car, he then waited until the car was out of sight before he climbed the fire escape of the building and opened one of the windows on the 3rd floor before entering the building. Tommy secretly hoped that no one had emptied their old apartment yet as he reached the door. He opened the door quietly with his key and slipped through the door before he shut it silently.

Two weeks later

Dark clouds hovered over Star City and the first rain drops fell to the ground. The Police department of the Glades was busy this time of night because right now the would were responding to an anonymous tip that someone had broken into an old warehouse beyond the Glades borders. Normally the wouldn´t care but the Police commissioner insisted that the had to check it out. A squad of cars made its way to this old abandoned warehouse to check things out. 

Thomas roamed through the shelves of the old warehouse looking for a special storage case when he heard sirens. “ Shit”, he mumbled under his breath before he picked up his pace to find what he is looking for. He repeated the charge number SO-98089234 in his head while searching for it. The sirens got closer and Thomas began to panic, he knew that if the police catches him here he would be dead before he got to curt. The name Queen is like a death penalty around here now that Star City has fallen and the Glades had risen. Shortly after he arrived in Star City he found his sister, after assuring her that he was okay, she hit him and told him to leave the city and go back to Iris, where he would be safe. She also told him that their half Brother William was back in town and she was helping him to stop the person behind those leveling plans. Thomas wanted to help, he really did but first he needed to find what he was looking for. His Sister had told him that William found their Fathers bow on Lian Yu but he knew that his Mother was working on a new bow before his Father left and that it had to be in this warehouse. Tommy had checked out the two other warehoused but both were a bust so this was his last chance. Outside the warehouse the Police got into position to storm it, their witness told them that somebody entered the warehouse but hadn´t had left it yet. Captain Williams exited one of the cars and took cover behind the doors. He then barked threw a megaphone: “ GPD, you´re surrounded. If you won´t exit this building now we will storm it”. Thomas heard the order but he couldn´t care less, he finally found what he was looking for. Lucky for him he was on the far end of the warehouse and there were now doors near him which should give him enough time to crap what he needed and make it out of here or at least hide so that the cops can´t find him. The doors to the warehouse opened and police officers stormed the building. Thomas opened up the case without looking and was immediately surrounded by some kind of light before he lost consciousness.


	2. Thrown through time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First: I thank everyone who read the first chapter and i hope you will enjoy this one too. I also tried a different style for writing conversation.   
> Second:I had to change chapter 1 because i made Thomas younger he is now 13 not 15.   
> Third: I just started watching Arrow and i´m on my first watch through so it could be that our beloved heroes may be a little out of character.

A soft constant beeping slowly made its way into Thomas´s mind as he woke up. The last thing he remembered was the bright light which surrounded him shortly after he opened the case. He expected to stare into some police officers face when he opened his eyes but realized rather quickly that he was in some sort of hospital bed. 

“ Definitely not in Kansas anymore”, he groaned and sat up and looked around the room.   
“ Where the hell am I”, Thomas wondered as the door opened and he quickly pretended to be a sleep, as a man and a woman entered the room.  
“ We still don´t know who he is or how this boy infiltrated our facility, Ma´am”, the man tried to explain and earned a stern look from the women.  
“ Well then order a DNA test and show it to me a. s. a. p.”, she ordered.

As the man left she looked at the boy, he looked familiar but couldn´t put it anywhere just yet.   
“ You can stop pretending”, she said while taking a seat right next to the bed.   
“ What gave me away?”, Thomas asked as he opened his eyes.   
“ Your breathing wasn´t even enough to be asleep. What´s your name?”  
“ Thomas, what´s yours”, he couldn´t shake the felling that he knew this woman from somewhere.  
“ My name is Lyla Michaels and i´m the director of A.R.G.U.S”  
“ You´re John Diggle´s wife”, now Thomas remembered, he didn´t saw her often growing up because she was always on a assignments.  
“ How did you.....”, Lyla was shocked as he told her who her husband was, because she definitely did not know that boy. She took a deep breath and continued speaking “ How did you know?”  
“ He was friends with my parents”, she could clearly hear the sadness in his voice.  
“ And your parents are?” Lyla asked softly. 

Thomas answer was only a whisper and Lyla couldn´t hear it so she asked him to repeat his answer.  
“ Oliver and Felicity”, he answered again while starring at his hands.   
“ Thomas, I don´t like when people lie to me, you can tell me truth. I may not know how you got into this facility and I will ask you about that later but first I want to get to know you better.”  
“ I´m not lying, you´ll see when the guy comes back with the DNA results”.  
“ Maybe we should change to subject. How did you get in the basement of this facility?”  
“ I don´t know. The last thing I remember is breaking in a old SMOAK Technology warehouse to get a specific case. The police had surrounded the building and as I opened up the case they stormed it and I woke up in this bed”.

For their whole conversation Thomas hadn´t looked once at Lyla and only starred at his palms but as soon as he began to tell her his story he raised his head and now his eyes were directly on her, pleading to believe him. Lyla didn´t know what to believe anymore. She was on the phone with John when the alarm started and she had to end the phone call. Security had found him unconscious in the basement with a nasty cut on his forehead and a backpack around his shoulder. A knock on the door ended her thoughts. The man from before came in and handed her a folder.

“ Ma´am you won´t believe what we found”, the man glanced briefly at Thomas.  
“ Told you”, said Thomas as Lyla had read the report and looked with a surprised face.   
“ Thank you Doctor Mitchell, you can go know”, the man left the room.  
“ I have to go but I will be back”. Lyla stood up and hurried out the door.   
Thomas watched after her as she left and began to wonder how he ended up here. A.R.G.U.S didn´t have a facility anymore in Star City since the year 2030 when the Glades rose and the wall around it was finished. There were two possibility´s the first one, he was arrested and the police now tortured him right now so his mind made this up or the second one which to him was more plausible, he traveled through time. Either way he had to get out of here. Thomas climbed out of bed and grabbed his backpack and went for the door only to find it locked. Defeated he went back and hopped on the bed again. 

30 minutes later

After Lyla had read the report Dr. Mitchell had given her, she called Dig and asked him to come in and to bring Oliver and Felicity with him. Now the four adults were in her office and watched Thomas on the surveillance feed who played with a small ball by throwing it against the wall.

“ Security found him unconscious in the basement with a cut on his forehead so the brought him to the medical bay”, Lyla told them.   
“ This doesn´t explain your call”, John was confused.  
“ That´s the crazy part. I ordered a DNA test to determined who he is. I talked to him while I waited and he told me all he could remember. His name is Thomas and before he woke up here, he just had broken into an old SMOAK Technology warehouse where he opened up a storage case”.  
“ Did you say SMOAK Technology”, Felicity couldn´t believe it.   
“ According to him, yeah but that´s not all”.

Lyla paused and took a deep breath but instead of telling them the results of the DNA test, she just gave John the folder, who opened it up and six pairs of eyes began to read. The room was completely silent for a short period of time. 

“ Is this right?”, Oliver asked her.  
“ Yes, Dr. Mitchell checked the results twice. Thomas is your son”.

Oliver sighed and glanced at Felicity, who after reading the results had to sit down. Oliver crouched down so he could look into her eyes.

“ Are you okay?”, he asked his girlfriend.  
“ No”.  
“ Good me neither”, Oliver took her hands in his and tried to comfort her.   
“ We give you a minute”, said Lyla.  
“ I wanna see him”, Felicity demanded before Lyla and John could leave the room.  
“ Follow me”.

Lyla left her office and lead them to the medical bay where she opened the door to Thomas´s room.  
“ Finally, do you guys know that letting a child starve is against the law”, Thomas commented sarcastically as the door opened. 

Thomas had expected Lyla or some low level guard but never in a million dream had he expected to see his parents enter the room. All he wanted to do was to hug them but a tiny voice in his head stopped him. Felicity suddenly saw the resemblance between Oliver and the boy. Thomas looked almost like Oliver except for the ears and nose. She let go of Oliver´s hand and slowly approached Thomas. 

“ I´m dreaming right, you can´t be here”, Thomas had tears in his eyes.   
“ Why would you be dreaming Thomas?” Felicity asked softly.  
“ Because you are dead, both of you are”, he answered and looked at Oliver. 

Oliver observed as Felicity got closer to Thomas step by step. The boys words repeated themselves in his head and all he could think about was that he will lose Felicity down the road and he could not live with it. 

Felicity´s heart was pounding against her chest as she finally was close enough to look Thomas in the eyes. The boy was crying and still shook his head trying to wake up from his dream. Before she even thought about it, her arms were around Thomas and pulled him into a hug. Thomas´s body reacted immediately by hugging her back. He sighed out of relief as he buried his head in her neck and took a deep breath to inhale her perfume. Oliver, Lyla and John watched with wide open eyes as Felicity managed to calm Thomas down. He stopped crying and his tears dried on his face all that was left was a soft sobbing. She looked at Oliver and he immediately knew what she had in mind.

“ Can we take him with us?”, Oliver asked Lyla.  
“ Of course, I doubt that Felicity would leave him here”.  
“ Oliver could you crap his backpack”, Felicity already led Thomas out of the room. 

The stopped at Big Belly Burger on their way home. Both he and Felicity tried to talk to Thomas about leaving the car and eat inside but he refused so Oliver got out of the car to buy some dinner. Felicity sat in the backseat with Thomas who refused to let her go. He was cuddled up against her and tightly held her hand. 

1 hour later

Oliver watched Thomas as he ate his burger and fries. He still hadn´t wrapped his head around the fact that Felicity and he will become parents. The hadn´t talked about marriage or kids, for now all they wanted was to enjoy themselves. Oliver remembered a conversation he once had with his mother about becoming a father after a girl from collage told him that she was pregnant. He wasn´t ready then and he kind of still felt that way. Oliver eyes fell on Felicity and he began to wonder what their future might look like. Where they married? Was the pregnancy planned or did it surprise them. Was he still the Green Arrow. All those questions but no answers yet.  
After dinner Oliver went upstairs to get the guestroom ready while Felicity cleaned up the dinner table with Thomas´s help. They both dropped down on the couch when the finished cleaning, Thomas again snuggled up against Felicity who had begun to stroke his hair without noticing. It didn´t took long for Thomas to fall a sleep in Felicity´s arms. 

“ The guestroom is ready”, announced Oliver as he came down the stairs.  
“ Shh, he is a sleep”, Felicity whispered loud enough for him to hear.   
“ Do you wan´t me to carry him upstairs?”, Oliver lifted Thomas up without waking him or before Felicity could answer and went back upstairs with Felicity following them. 

Oliver put Thomas down on the bed, where Thomas immediately curled into a ball. Felicity covered the boy with a light blanket. They both left the room without closing the door and walked back downstairs to collapse on the couch. The whole day was a little bit of a emotional roller coaster and both were exhausted, still neither of them thought about going to sleep. Oliver pulled Felicity closer and snuggled up against her. 

“ A penny for your thoughts”, Felicity glanced up at her boyfriend.  
“ I cant really describe it, my head is a mess right now. It all feels so real and also unreal at the same time. A year ago I thought I can´t have you while being a vigilante and be with the woman I love but you change that and now I learn that we have so much more to look forward too, it´s scary and also exciting at the same time. Don´t call me crazy because we know Thomas for maybe 3 hours and I already have feelings for him.”   
“ You´re a lot Oliver Queen but you´re not crazy because I feel it too.”  
“ We should go to bed. John, Thea and Laurel have things handled tonight”.  
“ Could you carry me too, i´m to tired to walk”, Felicity asked with big puppy eyes. 

Oliver carried her upstairs and both got ready for bed before crawling under that comforter. Both were a sleep in a couple of minutes. 

Thomas woke up after another nightmare. His hair was damp and stuck to his forehead, he also head trouble breathing. The dream felt really real this time, normally he could run or scream but not today. His body froze as soon as he saw the black figure who haunted him in his dreams and he couldn´t do a thing. The black figure ran right at him and before it could hurt him he woke up. Thomas got his breathing under control, he also remembered where he was. He had traveled through time and was now in a loft which belonged to his parents. His head was pounding and all he wanted to do was sleep but he also knew that he couldn´t fall asleep after this nightmare. Thomas got up and left the room, thanks to the lights of the city he could see a little bit in the dark. He opened two different doors before he found the bedroom of Oliver and Felicity. He could make out their silhouettes on the bed. Thomas didn´t care what both of them would think of him in the morning he got into bed with them and snuggled up with Felicity who immediately put her arm around him. Thomas overcame a feeling of peace and closed his eyes. 

Oliver woke up as soon as the first sunlight came through the curtain covered windows, still half asleep he leaned over to kiss Felicity head like every morning before he got up. He went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and to splash some water on his face so he could wake up. After he was finished he walked back in the bedroom and that´s when he noticed that Thomas was asleep beside Felicity. Oliver looked at both of them and smiled. “ Thomas must have a strong connection with Felicity in the future”, he though before leaving the room to make some breakfast. He wasn´t sure what Thomas would like so he made scrambled eggs, waffles, pancakes and bacon. Oliver was setting the table when Thomas came downstairs rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 

“ Morning Thomas”, Oliver greeted while putting some cereal on the table.  
“ Morning”.  
“ I wasn´t sure what you would like for breakfast so I made a bit of everything”.  
“ Oh, I like and eat everything”, Thomas said.   
“ Well then please sit down and dig in”, Oliver smiled at Thomas who smiled back. 

Thomas ate his second pancake when Felicity joined them downstairs and went straight for the coffee in Oliver´s hand. 

“ Good morning boys”, she greeted them after she took a sip of coffee and sat down.  
“ What are we doing today”, asked Thomas and surprised both of the adults a bit.  
“ Well I have to work for my campaign a bit but we can make planes for later if you like”.   
“ While we wait for Oliver you could tell me a little bit more about yourself”.  
“ I´m not sure how much I can tell you. Every movie I watched about time travel always tells you not to tell the people from the past to much about the future”.  
“ Well that´s true but you can leave out the stuff that´s going to happened and just tell me or us more about yourself”, Felicity suggested.   
“ That should work, I guess”, Thomas said, when the front door opened and Thea walked in.  
“ Hello, hello”, she greeted without seeing anybody yet.   
“ Thea what are you doing here”, Oliver asked as Thea got closer.  
“ Well you called me yesterday to invite me for breakfast, so that we could go to work together or did you forget. Oh hello, who are you”, Thea had noticed Thomas.   
“ I´m Thomas, nice to meet you”.   
“ You too, Thomas. Ollie, Felicity could I speak to you for a moment”.

Thomas watched as Thea led Oliver and Felicity to the couch so the could talk. Maybe she thought that he wouldn´t be able to hear them but he did. 

“ Okay, have you forgotten to tell me something? Have you adopted a teenage boy or has Ollie a Son he never knew about”, Thea bombarded them with questions.  
“ No he is not adopted, Thomas is our Son”, Felicity answered.  
“ Hold on, our Son as in you and Oliver´s”.  
“ Yeah, sounds unbelievable we know but I appeared out of nowhere and was found at A.R.G.U.S. Lyla´s men found him and she ordered a DNA test before she began to ask him questions. Thomas told her that he was our Son and of course she didn´t believe him at first but after the test confirmed it. She called John who called us and we met at A.R.G.U.S where we met him and took him home with us. Crazy as it sounds he is from the future”, explained Felicity.  
“ That´s quite the story, Ollie are you sure you want to meet your campaign staff today?”  
“ Yes i´m sure and I think we should finish breakfast so we can go”, Oliver went back to join Thomas followed by Felicity and Thea.

After Oliver and Thea had left, Felicity and Thomas cleaned the kitchen and the table before the sat themselves on the couch and Thomas began to tell Felicity everything. He knew it was wrong but to be honest he didn´t care all he wanted was a future where his parents were alive fighting for Star City.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always reviews and constructive critic is much appreciated.


	3. His Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for your comments and kudos. I present to you the next chapter of this story

Thomas sat in Felicity´s office located on the top floor of SMOAK Technology, doing is homework with the help of Felicity´s assistant named Samantha when his Mother walked in.

“ Hey Tommy, i´m sorry I couldn´t pick you up from school today”, she apologized.   
“ It´s okay Mommy. Henry picked me up and we went to Big Belly Burger before coming here”.  
“ Did he now. We better keep this a secret from Daddy”. 

Felicity didn´t care if her children ate junk food every now and then, Oliver on the other hand did care. She sat down beside Tommy and kissed his head before she watched Tommy finishing his homework. Felicity knew that Tommy could finish his homework at home but she knew that as soon as the made it through the door Tommy would try to postpone it, because according to him he had to much to do at home. 

Mia was sent home from school by the nurse and was laying on the couch watching TV when the front door opened and her Mother and Brother came in. Felicity noticed her daughter and went straight to her. 

“ Mia what are you doing here, why aren´t you at school”, Felicity was concerned.  
“ The nurse sent me home because the thinks I have the flu”, rasped Mia.  
“ You are burning up, i´ll get you some Tylenol and some tea”, Felicity left to get the medicine.

Mia fell asleep on the couch a few minutes after she took the Tylenol, Felicity gave her. Thomas was in his room playing with his toys while Felicity sat on her desk in the living room and worked on her new computer program when Oliver came in. He noticed his daughter asleep on the couch on his way over to Felicity.

“ Hey, is something wrong with Mia”, Oliver gave his wife a kiss on her cheek.   
“ The school nurse sent her home today because she thinks Mia has the flu, I was waiting for you to come home so that I can take her to the doctor”.  
“ I can take her if you want”.  
“ No it´s okay, i´ll take her. You stay her with Tommy.”  
“ Sure, I also make dinner”, Oliver kissed her again before he went looking for his son. 

Felicity watched him leave and her heart fluttered. Still after all those years she was so thankful that Oliver came into her cubicle and bring her the laptop which started their journey. Now almost eighteen years after their wedding she was still amazed about Oliver. They had their up and downs but instead of giving up they came out stronger. 

Oliver stood in the doorway of Thomas´s bedroom and watched his son playing with action figures, particularly with a Green Arrow and Flash figure. He loved that his son was still innocent and didn´t know what was going on in the world outside of his little bubble. 

“ Hey buddy”, Oliver greeted his son.  
“ Daddy you are home”, Thomas got up and jumped in his fathers arms.   
“ Mia is sick”, he said to his Father.  
“ I know, Mommy told me, she also told me that she will take Mia to the doctor”.  
“ That´s good, the doctor will help Mia to feel better”.

Oliver sat his son down on the ground before he got on his knees in front of him.

“ Do you think, Mia would like some chicken noodle soup or mac and cheese for dinner”.  
“ Oh she will want both”, Thomas smiled at his Father.  
“ You do”.  
“ Yes because it´s the best food”.  
“ Ah, okay do you think you can help me make it”.  
“ Yes, but could we play first.”  
“ Sure we can bud, your sister was still sleeping when I came in here so we have all the time in the world”.  
“ Who do you want to be”, Thomas asked his Father and gave him the choice between the Green Arrow and the Flash.  
“ Mm, what do say to building the Lego-set you got for your birthday”.  
“ Yes, we can do that too”. 

5 years later 

Felicity stood before her children and looked for the right words to tell them that the would have to leave town. After she Archer had alerted her to some major structural anomalies beneath Star City she had discovered a holographic map of the city. The map then showed her explosions all around the Glades destroying Star City completely. 

“ Mom, what is going on”, Felicity was pulled out of her thoughts by Mia.  
“ The city is to dangerous, we have to leave for a while”.   
“ The Glades are hardly dangerous Mom”.  
“ Mia it´s not up for debate, you and Tommy are going to Central City”.  
“ And what about you?”  
“ I will come back here as soon as I know you both are safe”.   
“ So you´ll deport us to Central City because we need to be safe but it´s okay for you to get hurt or worse killed, you´re such a hypocrite”, Mia stood up and grabbed her stuff before she left.

Felicity wanted to get her back but she also knew that her daughter needed some time so she went on with her plan and vowed to speak to Mia as soon as she came back. After Oliver had left them five years ago, she noticed the changes in Mia. She began to pull away and got into trouble for fighting at school. When asked about it she didn´t tell why, Mia just said that those boy´s deserved it. The school recommended that Mia should see a therapist to cope with her Father´s absence but Mia stubborn as she was declined and joined the local boxing studio. 

“ Thomas, go to your room and start packing. I´ll help you in a few minutes”, Felicity ordered.

Thomas didn´t understand why his sister was angry had their Mother for telling them that the would go to Central City, sure he didn´t want to leave either but he believed his Mother when she told them that the city was becoming dangerous. Behind their apartment were the ruins of Star City and he cold hear gunshots and police sirens every night. One of his friends had told him that his Father also wanted to leave the Glades because it was only a matter of time until the criminals would find there way through the walls and bring chaos to the Glades again. Thomas went to his room and began to pack. He put his travel bag and backpack on the bed but instead of packing he starred at a photograph on his table. The photo was as old as he was, it showed Oliver with Thomas minutes after Thomas was born. Oliver was holding the infant in his arms and smiled down at him. He was told that a nurse took it because she thought that both of his parents wanted something to remember this day forever. 

“ Thomas are you ready”, Felicity asked and came into the room.   
“ Baby?” Felicity walked closer to Thomas and followed his gaze to the photograph on his desk.  
“ Do you think, he will come back?”, Thomas lips trembled.  
“ I don´t know honey. I think about him everyday”.  
“ Can I take it with me and maybe a maybe another one too”.  
“ Sure, you can take as many as you want with you”.

Felicity started to pack Thomas´s bag while he packed a few things in his backpack. When they were finished the left the apartment and got into the car, before heading to Central City.

Four month later: 

Tommy was asleep as the train reached Star City or better The Glades and the conductor woke him up. “ We reached the Glades boy, time for you to get of the train”, which startled Tommy and for a split second he didn´t know where he was. The conductor watched the boy with a stern look on his face. Tommy grabbed his stuff and left the train. After Tommy exited the station he looked for a ride to the city limits of the Glades. A Taxi driver was kind enough to take him there without asking to many questions for which Tommy was glad. The car stopped in front of a apartment complex, he paid the man and got out of car, he then waited until the car was out of sight before he climbed the fire escape of the building and opened one of the windows on the 3rd floor before entering the building. Tommy secretly hoped that no one had emptied their old apartment yet as he reached the door. He opened the door quietly with his key and slipped through the door before he shut it silently.

After Thomas had entered their old apartment, he locked the door before he checked every room to make sure that he was alone. It was kind of a surprise for him that the apartment still hadn´t been emptied out yet or that the power was still on. He had turned on one of his old night lights after he closed the blinds. He didn´t wanted anyone to know that someone was in this apartment or that he was back. First he had to find Mia, he hadn´t seen her since she stormed out of here all those month ago. The only problem was he didn´t know where to look for her. Thomas pulled out his phone from his jeans and tried to call his Sister but they call didn´t even connect. 

“ Why do you have to make it so hard for me to find you, Mia”, Thomas thought. 

Thomas got lucky when he discovered that the apartment had still power but when I opened up his laptop to search for a internet presence of her, his luck ran out. 

“ Really, power but no internet connection”.

He tried to hack into surrounding networks but couldn´t get in. The security program which is Mother wrote years ago stopped every attempt. Thomas suddenly got an idea, Archer was still running which meant that the servers at SMOAK Technology were on. Thomas could use Archer to find Mia. The darkness of the night would give him cover to make it there and if he was lucky there would be now cops because SMOAK Technology was located outside the wall. Thomas crapped his backpack and left the apartment. He left the building the same way he entered it but instead of going down the fire escape he went up to the roof, from there he made his way onto the wall and to the other side. He began to ran as fast as he could to avoid Star City police officers who patrolled this streets and arrest everyone or worst kill them because they got paid for this kinda stuff now. Luckily for him the streets were pretty empty this time of night. He made it to the top floor of SMOAK Technology´s as the sun began to rise. The server room where on the 15th floor if he remembered correctly. He opened up the door to the staircase and quickly ran up the flights of stairs. 

Thomas was glad for being pretty athletic when he opened the door to the 15th floor. The walls were covered in graffiti, old papers lay on the floor, lights hung from the ceiling. He carefully made his way to the server room and opened the door. The room was completely empty, all the servers were gone. 

“ Nothing, there is absolutely nothing in this shit hole”, Thomas became frustrated and punched a hole in the wall. Thomas sunk down a wall, he felt defeated and hopeless, how was he supposed to safe this city when he couldn´t even find his sister. 

“ What does your gut tell you”, he heard his Father´s voice in his head.   
“ That I can´t give up and look for the tiniest thing that could help me”, Thomas said out loud.  
“ Then stand up and get going”, his Father´s voice responded. 

Thomas got up and left the 15th floor. He decided to search every floor if he had too. He couldn´t leave this building without something. But all he found at the 16th floor and up was more destruction, graffiti and old blank papers. Thomas last chance was his Mothers old office which was on the 29th floor. His mind was flooded with memory´s as soon as the entered her office. Thomas ignored them and started searching her desk, her file cabinets. He thought about giving up and to just go home when he opened up a drawer and found one file in it. 

“ Jackpot”, he cheered before he pulled the file out of the drawer. 

Thomas opened the file and began to read. The file contained not much except information about a warehouse which contained unused prototypes and other project. 

“ I told you nobody was here, so can we please get out off here”, Thomas suddenly heard voices outside his Mothers office.   
“ No, we have to check every room”.

Thomas stuffed the file in his backpack and leaned against the wall. He could see the flashlights of the guys in the hallway. He risked looking around the corner and saw them coming closer. Thomas had to get out of here before they knew he was even there. He looked around the room to find something which he could throw and to distract the two men. His eyes stopped on a small piece of metal, so the picked it up and glanced again to the men. They were busy searching the room right beside Felicity´s office which Thomas knew was the conference room. He just had to throw it really far so he could make it to the other staircase to the left. 

“ One, two, three”, Thomas counted before throwing the metal piece. He hit a glass wall and the glass shattered.   
“ What was that”, one of the men said before both them investigated why the glass shattered. 

Thomas saw his chance and he hurried to the staircase on the left. He opened the door as silent as he could before he began to ran down the stairs. He didn´t know how he made it out of the building and back to the apartment in The Glades without being caught, he honestly didn´t even care. Thomas was just glad when he opened the front door of the apartment and collapsed on the couch. The adrenaline slowly left his body and was replaced by tiredness. Instead of giving in Thomas opened his backpack and pulled out the file to read it through. 

Three hours later

Thomas went through the file over and over again, he used a wall as a whiteboard and he had pinned all useful information from the file on the wall including the notes he took the last three hours. There were three warehouses that belonged to SMOAK Tech., two where in the ruins of Star City and one was in the Glades. The file also contained a list of his Mother´s work including her tech build for his Father, for which he was glad because he could use it. He had to find the right warehouse first though. It was to risky for him to go in the middle of the day, so he decided to began his search in one of the warehouses in Star City as soon as the sun went down. Thomas had a couple of hours before the sun would set and his stomach was crumbling. He needed to go out to buy some stuff to eat and to drink, so he left. Half an hour later Thomas returned to the apartment, his backpack was filled with a couple of sandwiches, chips, red vines, frozen pizza. The drinks hadn´t fit in his backpack so he carried them in a paper bag which he put on the kitchen counter. After he put everything away he grabbed a sandwich and a coke before he dropped down on the couch and began to eat. Thomas still had time to kill so he went to his old room to change. He pulled on some black jeans and a black t-shirt which would make him invisible in the shadows of the night. He then got on his bed and closed his eyes to get some sleep. After all he should be safe in this apartment, nobody was looking for him yet and the buildings around him were all empty. Sure he closed the blinds but that was just a precaution in case of police patrols. 

Thomas woke up as the sun was setting and night began to take over. He got out of bed, threw on a black hoodie and went to grab his backpack and a flashlight before he headed out. Thomas used the same way as yesterday and landed on the other side of the wall. The first warehouse was only a couple of blocks south from him. Thomas made sure to stay in the shadows as much as possible. He could hear screams and gunshots in the distance but no sirens which made absolutely no sense to him. Star City was still a city worth saving or at least the people were. Thomas saw a lot of homeless people in blind ally´s who stood around burning barrels warming their hands. 

When Thomas made it to the warehouse, he climbed the fence an quickly ran to the door. The warehouse was locked through a electronic lock so he smashed it open with his flashlight, pulled a few cables and short-circuited the lock opening the door in the process. Thomas entered the bitch black warehouse and turned on his flashlight. The warehouse was filled with storage containers, crates and shelves containing smaller crates and cases. All the projects and prototypes his mother worked on should be marked with SO-, that should narrow down his search but the warehouse was massive. Thomas had scoured about half of the warehouse when he checked his phone for the time. He had about six hours left before the sun would rise, it took him two hours to get to the warehouse which meant he could search for four more hours before he had leave to make it back to the apartment while it was still dark outside. 

“ Time to pick up the pace”, he said to himself and continued his search. 

Thomas felt defeated as he opened the apartment door in the morning. The first warehouse was a bust. There was absolutely nothing in there which could help him. The fact that he hadn´t really slept much the last couple of days didn´t help. Thomas was exhausted as he fell on the couch and closed his eyes just for a minute or two to rest. 

Two weeks later

Over the last week Thomas had studied the file which he found at SMOAK Tech. a little bit more. He also found out that a particular item on his Mother´s work list was one of his Father´s bows. Thomas had searched the second warehouse in Star City but again didn´t find anything, which meant the third warehouse was his last chance. When he got closer to the front door of the apartment he noticed that the door was slightly open. 

“ Someone in here”, Thomas asked as he entered the apartment.  
“ I´m armed”.  
“ No you´re not”, he heard a familiar voice say before he saw a dark figure stepping out of the shadows.   
“ J.J, what are you here?”, Thomas asked his sisters friend.  
“ I heard rumors that people have seen a young Oliver Queen in the ruins of Star City so I had to check them out and look at that I found you”.  
“ Do you know where Mia is?”  
“ Yes I do”.  
“ Can you bring me to her?”  
“ She demanded that I bring you to her, if I found out the rumors where true”.  
“ Mia is pissed, isn´t she”.  
“ Big time but she also wants to see you, come on”.

Conner led Thomas out of the building and into the sewers to avoid the police. After what felt like a eternity for Thomas, Conner crawled up a ladder and opened the manhole, with Thomas following him. 

“ Where are we”, Thomas asked and looked around the room.   
“ In an old Helix facility and you are in big trouble”, Mia answered before Conner could.

Thomas turned and looked at his sister. 

“ Mia, i´m sorry but I couldn´t stay in Central City”.  
“ Thomas, you should have stayed put. There is nothing you can do here. Conner and I have it handled”, Mia said after she hit his shoulder.  
“ I don´t care, I can´t lose you too. You are my Sister and everything I have left”.  
“ Come here”, Mia opened her arms for Thomas.  
“ I missed you little bro”, she whispered.  
“ I missed you too”.  
“ Guys I hate to ruin the moment but if i´m right, cops will patrol this building in the next couple of minutes”, J.J said.   
“ We should get out of here. J.J where did you find Tommy”.  
“ In your families old apartment, we still can make it there without running into trouble when we take the sewers again”.  
“ Lead the way”, instructed Mia and pulled Thomas with her as she followed J.J.

They made it back to the apartment in the Glades an hour later without being noticed. Mia thought that she would never come back here. Mia sat down with Tommy on the couch while J.J locked the door just in case somebody came looking. Tommy was unsure about asking his sister if she had seen their Mother before her death.

“ T.J you okay”, Mia saw the sadness and confusion in her brothers eyes.  
“ Did you see Mom before she died”, Thomas needed to know.  
“ I saw her once, we talked about the day I stormed out of here. She explained to me why she wanted us both out of here and we made up. J.J and I started to help her and she gave me a copy of everything she had before we said our goodbyes and she went underground. We only spoke on the phone after that. One of the last things she told me about was you and your new life in Central City with Iris and Nora”.  
“ It was really cool but I missed Mom and you everyday”, Thomas sniffed.  
“ We missed you too buddy”.  
“ So what now?”, Thomas asked.  
“ I really don´t know, sure Mom gave me all of her research on what she had found but the trail went cold a couple of days ago”.  
“ We could use Archer”, Thomas suggested.  
“ Thomas, Archer is controlled by the GPD and I doubt that they would let us use it”, J.J explained.   
“ So we hack into the GPD to gain access”.  
“ T.J that´s not possible, as soon as we would do that they will know. Mom had twenty years to to make Archer perfect. The only way to use Archer are his access codes and I doubt that we will get them”.   
“ Mia we gotta go, someone was asking for you”, J.J said when is phone alerted him.  
“ Who?”  
“ Jason didn´t say, he just wants us to come”.  
“ I come with you”, Thomas said.  
“ No Tommy, you can´t. Please stay here. I´ll come back, promise”.  
“ Okay but only because you said please”, Thomas smiled.  
“ Stay out of trouble, we will check on you in a couple of days”.  
“ Kay, please be careful.”  
“ Lock the door when we are gone”.  
Mia hugged Tommy tight and gave him a kiss on his head, before she got up and left the apartment with J.J following her. Thomas locked the door as he was told and went back to the couch. Now that he had found his sister he could stop wondering if she was okay. 

After he made himself something to eat he turned on the TV and the Blu-Ray player and started watching a old home movie. Which probable wasn´t the best idea given the emotional state he was in but he already could feel that the memory of his Mother began to fade. Sure he remembered her looks but not her voice and he the fear about forgetting her set in. Crazy as it sounds he could always remember the voice of his father even after almost six years now. Thomas pressed play and immediately looked into his Fathers face before he turned the camera and Felicity could be seen. 

“ Tommy look at Daddy”, Felicity said to the toddler standing in front of her.   
“ You can do it T.J”, Mia ran around them encouraging her brother to make his first steps.

Tommy watched as his younger self took his first steps towards the camera. His hand tightly wrapped around his Mothers fingers, before he let go and wobbled to his Father. He made it a few steps without help before gravity kicked in and he fell on his diapered bottom. Felicity, Mia and Oliver cheered while he sat there and clapped his hands. 

“ You did it, T.J”, Mia ran over to help him up on his feet again.

Mia then led Thomas back to their Mother. Felicity hugged both of her children and kissed them. The angle of the camera changed and Thomas saw as his Father joined the group hug. 

“ Daddy can we play helicopter”, Mia asked her Father.  
“ Sure thing honey, come here”, Oliver picked up Mia and twirled her around while making noises.   
“ You have such a silly Daddy, Tommy”, Felicity cuddled Tommy closer and watched her husband and daughter.

The scene had changed and they were now in the apartment. Thomas guessed that the camera was on a tripod because he could see his Father too. They were in front of the Christmas tree, Mia was occupied with putting make up on Oliver´s face. Felicity played with Tommy and his new toys. Thomas suddenly felt at peace as he watched his parents play with him and Mia. He stopped watching and only listened to their voices. Despite everything his parents always tried to be there for him and Mia. Sure his Father was the Green Arrow and there were days when he didn´t make it home to tug them into bed but he still kissed them goodnight when he did. 

As promised Thomas didn´t got into trouble he even postponed going to the third warehouse. The last couple of days he only left the apartment to get something to eat and drink. He currently watched a old show on Blu-Ray from his Mother´s collection when someone knocked on the door. Thomas turned of the TV and went to the door to lock through the peephole. He let out a breath when he recognized Mia and J.J, Thomas unlocked the door and let them inside. 

“ Did you find out who was looking for you?”, he asked his sister.  
“ Yeah and I also talked to them”.  
“ Who are they”.   
“ It was William and some old friends from Mom and Dad. But I didn´t tell them who I really am”.  
“ Why not the could help us”.  
“ I will T.J, but first I need to know what they know”.  
“ Why not just ask them”.  
“ Because they already know that i´m hiding something”.  
“ So what now”.  
“ J.J and I will follow them around for a while to get some information”.  
“ And what i´m supposed to do in the meanwhile”.   
“ You will stay here”.  
“ No absolutely not, I already watched all the home movies and half of Moms movie collection”.  
“ T.J, I have to keep you safe at least for now”.  
“ But I can help”.  
“ How?” J.J asked.  
“ There is an old SMOAK Tech. warehouse where Mom stored all her prototypes and tech. I could go there and check it out. It´s the last one the list”.  
“ What do you mean the last one”.  
“ When I got here I went to SMOAK Tech. to look for something that would help me finding you but I found a file instead which contained information about those warehouses. I came back from the second one when J.J waited here for me. There is only the one in the Glades left”.  
“ Tommy it´s to dangerous, what is when someone sees you and calls the cops”.  
“ I´ll be careful, please Mia let me help even if turns out to be bust”.  
“ Okay, under one condition, as soon as there is trouble you run”.  
“ Promise”.  
“ Good, than it´s settled we follow William and his friends and you´ll check out the warehouse. We will be back in a few days and tell you what we found out, deal”.  
“ Deal”, Thomas hugged Mia before she and J.J left.

The rain was purring down on Thomas when he reached the warehouse in the Glades. He was soaking wet by the time entered it the same way he had the others by short-circuiting the magnetic door lock. He didn´t know how much time he had so immediately started his search. 

Thomas roamed through the shelves of the old warehouse looking for a special storage case when he heard sirens. “ Shit”, he mumbled under his breath before he picked up his pace to find what he is looking for. He repeated the charge number SO-98089234 in his head while searching for it. The sirens got closer and Thomas began to panic, he knew that if the police catches him here he would be dead before he got to curt. Outside the warehouse the Police got into position to storm it, their witness told them that somebody entered the warehouse but hadn´t had left it yet. Captain Williams exited one of the cars and took cover behind the doors. He then barked threw a megaphone: “ GPD, you´re surrounded. If you won´t exit this building now we will storm it”. Thomas heard the order but he couldn´t care less, he finally found what he was looking for. Lucky for him he was on the far end of the warehouse and there were now doors near him which should give him enough time to crap what he needed and make it out of here or at least hide so that the cops can´t find him. The doors to the warehouse opened and police officers stormed the building. Thomas opened up the case without looking and was immediately surrounded by some kind of light before he lost consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments and constructive critic is much appreciated.


	4. Message received

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of trouble with this chapter, i hope that you will stick with me. I´ll also try to upload chapter 5 by Sunday.

Felicity hung on every word Thomas said as he told her a short version of what had happened to him before he was found at A.R.G.U.S. She glanced at Tommy who´s head hung low while he spoke. Felicity could clearly see the tears on his face as he talked about her future self, his voice was trembling, Tommy tried to hide it but failed. Despite of knowing Thomas for less then a day, Felicity scooted closer, laid her arms around him and pulled him close to her chest. She stroked softly over his back, while he cried. 

“ Everything is going to be okay”, Felicity whispered in Thomas´s hair.   
“ You don´t know that, I could have changed the future for the worst”, Tommy´s voice trembled.   
“ Maybe, but i´m sure of one thing, now that I know that you and your siblings will wait for me in the future i´ll try my best to change it too. And nothing will stop me”.

Tommy looked at his Mother and could see the truth in her eyes, she may be a younger version of his Mom but she was still his Mother. He was surprised when she kissed his forehead before smiling at him. 

“ We should start with getting you some clothes, would you like to go shopping with me?”  
“ Does it take long? Because my head hurts and I feel a little dizzy”.  
“ That must be your concussion. You should rest for a bit and after you feel better we can go”.  
“ I would like that but...aah..could you stay with me please?”  
“ Sure.” Felicity pulled Tommy closer so he could snuggle with her. 

Oliver´s campaign office

Oliver sat alone in his office lost in his thoughts. After everything that had happened to him the last eight years he always thought that he didn´t deserve happiness, then he met Felicity and his whole world changed sure he tried to sabotage his own happiness by keeping her away from him. But the one thing Sarah´s death and his time in the League of Assassins taught Oliver that he didn´t want to die alone. Oliver still stood to his words when he said that darkness was waiting for him here in Star City, but he also knew that Felicity would always guide him into the light. She was his north star, his guidance in the dark. The fact that he would marry her and have children with her some day also got him excited. 

“ Hey Ollie, you got a minute”, Thea stepped into the office and closed the door.  
“ Yeah sure, what´s up”, he answered while being pulled out of his thought.  
“ I watched you from my desk, where were you?”  
“ What do you mean”  
“ Don´t answer with question, Oliver. You were miles away apparently”.  
“ I...i was thinking about Felicity”.  
“ Ah..i noticed that she still isn´t wearing Mom´s ring on her finger. I thought you wanted to ask her to marry you”.  
“ I did...i do, but then you and Laurel showed up and we came back her so I started to rethink things”.  
“ Ollie, please tell me you don´t want to ask her because you are back”.  
“ No that´s not it. I guess that there wasn´t really any time you know. Ghosts, Darhk, Sarah coming back from the dead”.  
“ And don´t forget Tommy”.  
“ Yeah that too, i´m still trying to wrap my head around it”.  
“ Don´t go there Oliver”  
“ Where?”  
“ Where ever you go in your mind when you are dealing with things”.  
“ I won´t promise. I was just thinking about something Jon told me”.  
“ What do you mean?”  
“ When Sara was born, he told me that as soon as he looked in her eyes all he could think about was to protect her and I guess the same thing happened to me as I met Thomas yesterday. He reminds me so much of Felicity and myself it almost scares me”.

Thea watched her Brother while he talked about Thomas and saw something she had never seen on him. Love, the kind of love you only feel for your child. Robert Queen had once described it as being struck be lighting and in this exact moment she saw this look on her Brother. Sure he got a dopey face every time he saw Felicity but this was much bigger. Thea was happy that Oliver got a glimpse into his future. 

“ Dad described it as being struck by lighting”  
“ It does feel like that, I guess”.  
“ So, how was patrol yesterday”, Oliver asked.  
“ Ghost front is silent for now”.  
“ Darhk is planning something, we have to figure out what it is before it´s to late”.  
“ We will Ollie. Laurel, Dig and I will hit the streets tonight”.  
“ I´ll join you”, Oliver said and looked at Thea.   
“ You sure? What about Tommy?”  
“ I´ll talk to him and Felicity when I get home. The city needs the Green Arrow as much as it needs Speedy, Spartan and Black Canary. Speaking of home, I should check on them”.

When Oliver opened the door to the loft, he was met with a sight he wasn´t prepared for. Right in front of him were Felicity and Tommy all cuddled up at the couch sleeping. Oliver closed the door as silent as possible and went over to them. 

“ Hey, i´m home”, Felicity stirred and opened her eyes.  
“ Oliver hi”.  
“ Good nap?”  
“ I didn´t wanted to but I guess snuggling makes me sleepy”  
“ It sure does, what did I miss?”  
“ Tommy told me about his time and how he ended up here. Help me up and we can discuss it in the kitchen”.

Felicity untangled herself from Tommy without waking him before Oliver pulled her on her feet. They went to the kitchen area, where Oliver made coffee, while Felicity began to tell him about Tommy´s time.

“ Three kids?”, a surprised Oliver asked.  
“ Really? I tell you about all the stuff our future has to go through and you go with that”.  
“ Sorry, you´re right. He had to endure a lot in his young life. He has the same strength as his mother. Is Tommy the oldest?”  
“ No the oldest is William and he is your Son. He is Tommy´s stepbrother.”  
“ Excuse me? I don´t have a So...Oh my god, Samantha”  
“ Who is Samantha”.  
“ She was a girl in college. We spent the night together, she got pregnant but a couple of weeks later she told me that she had lost the baby.”   
“ And here I thought I knew all the women you cheated on Laurel with”.  
“ I was a different person back then. It´s okay if you hate me right now”.  
“ Oliver, I don´t hate you. Everyone has a past and you are right you were different back then”.  
“ I love you and thank you”.  
“ Love you too, would you like me to find William?”  
“ Not now okay. We have a Son right here who needs as more.”  
“ Speaking of Son, I thought we could go shopping with Tommy.”  
“ Sure when”.  
“ When he wakes up”.

Felicity and Oliver talked some more about what Tommy had told her. Both of them felt guilty for what Tommy and his Sister had to go through despite not knowing them really. Their whispered conversation slowly woke up Tommy´s mind and he opened his eyes to watch his parents, both currently sitting at the bar in the kitchen. 

4 hours later

Tommy collapsed on the couch when the three of them got back from their shopping trip. Felicity clearly over did it a little bit. He got so much clothes, he could stay forever. Tommy also got some new shoes, a suit and tie, she event bought him a smoking just in case they needed it. Tommy was exhausted but happy. He spent four hours with his parents without any interruptions. 

“ What would you like for dinner?”, Oliver asked while he dropped the last shopping bags.  
“ Could you make your chili? It´s been ages since I had it”.  
“ I get right on it.”  
“ I´ll help Felicity putting my stuff away”, Thomas grabbed the last bags and went upstairs.

Today´s dinner went better then last night. Tommy told Oliver and Felicity a little bit more about his childhood before it all went down the drain. Both were surprised as he told them that the whole world knew that Oliver was the Green Arrow. He didn´t tell them why though. After dinner Oliver left to help Thea and the other. Tommy took a shower before he and Felicity got comfortable on the couch to watch a movie. 

The next couple of days went by like a blur for Tommy. He got to spend some time with Thea and the rest of the team when Felicity took him with her into the bunker. Oliver was mad at first but Tommy showed him his archery skills and both of them had a little friendly competition. Felicity was worried about Tommy sure he was happy and full of energy but he still suffered from a mild concussion. She told them to take a break, so Tommy could get some rest. Their dinners and evenings together were fun too, they watched TV together, played games or talked about showing Tommy the city as soon as he was fit enough. 

Oliver had left for his meeting with Alex and Thea, while Tommy helped Felicity cleaning up the breakfast table. 

“ Mo...Felicity, your phone is beeping”.   
“ It´s okay, when you call me Mom”, Felicity said with a smile as she grabbed her phone.

Curtis had sent her fifteen 911 text messages within two minutes followed by “ Meet me at Palmer Tech. asap”. Felicity knew that Curtis must have found something in Ray´s recording. She had to go but she also couldn´t leave Tommy alone, not that he wasn´t old enough to be by himself for a couple of hours.

“ Would you like to leave the loft and come to Palmer Tech with me?”  
“ Do you think it´s a good idea”,  
“ Sure”.

Palmer Tech.

Felicity and Tommy made it to Palmer Tech. without being spotted by paparazzi´s. She hated those people ever since Oliver announced that he was running for Mayor, the press always tried to get a interview or some photos of her. When they entered Palmer Tech. Tommy looked around, he knew this building inside and out, sure in his time it was abandoned and the walls were full of graffiti but it was still his Mother´s company. 

“ You okay?” Felicity asked and looked at Tommy.  
“ Yeah, it´s just in 2040 this building is called SMOAK Tech.”, he whispered.   
“ Must be strange for you”, Felicity was a bit startled.  
“ No not really, I actually like it”.  
“ Really?”  
“ Sure, i´m safe here”.

Both of them entered the elevator and Felicity pushed the button for the 20th floor. The ride up was silent. Felicity could see it in Tommy´s eyes that he still wanted to tell her something but one thing she learned from her teenage years that it is better not to push. 

“ Felicity! Welcome back, welcome, welcome”, Curtis greeted her, not aware of Tommy yet.  
“ How many of these have you drank?”, Felicity asked and pointed at the empty cans on his desk.  
“ It´s “drunk”, actually, and many. But worth it”, Curtis then noticed Tommy behind his boss.  
“ Who is that young man?”  
“ Long story. Curtis this is Tommy”.  
“ O...kay. Nice to meet you, Tommy”.  
“ You too, Curtis”.  
“ Curtis focus”, Felicity said, when Curtis starred at Tommy.  
“ Right, the playback was rendering when you came in. So, propitious timing”.  
“ First, you´re not even allowed to say “ energy drink” while on company time ever again. Second, you cleared up the rest of Ray´s message?”  
“ That okay. I think I might be having a cardiac incident anyway. And yes I did”, Curtis went over to his desk followed by Felicity and Tommy.  
“ So, the message, check it out. I was just about to call you”, Curtis looked at Felicity.  
“ Wait, where´s my phone. Wait, did I call you already”.   
“ Curtis”, Felicity became a little bit angry.  
“ Oh, right.” Curtis pressed enter and the message began to play.  
“ I´m sorry, Felicity, this is my fault. I...I got myself into this mess screwing around with my exosuit and nanotechnology. But recriminations probably aren´t probably the best use of this limited bandwidth. What I need you to know is, I´m alive, and I´m in trouble”, Ray´s voice could be heard.  
“ Can you trace it?”, Felicity asked.  
“ I guess”

Tommy was sitting in one of the comfortable arm chairs scribbling on a note book. Hours had passed while Felicity and Curtis worked on some kind of program so they could find Ray. Tommy also was tired again, this mild concussion really took a toll on him. In health class he learned that if you have a concussion you should really just lay around all day which to him sounded worse. He watched his Mom and her friend starring at the computer screens. Tommy was sure that they wouldn´t even notice if he went exploring the building for bit. He really wanted to get out of here but his body wouldn´t let him. 

When Oliver couldn´t find Felicity and Tommy at home he drove to Palmer Tech. to look for them there. He could hear Felicity´s voice as he approached the office. Oddly enough he also could hear Ray´s voice. Oliver opened the door and stepped in.

“ Hey Oliver”, Tommy greeted his Father with a tired smile.  
“ Hey buddy”, Oliver said before he continued speaking “ Felicity?”  
“ Oh hey Oliver. Curtis..Oliver. Oliver...Curtis”, Felicity was again in the zone.

Curtis looked up and greeted Oliver before he raised his hand to cover Oliver´s face to see if he was the Green Arrow. 

“ Mm, Curtis, what are doing?”, Oliver asked.  
“ The Green Arrow showed up right about the time you came back into town. It´s not you though. Jaw´s not right”.  
“ That´s what I keep telling people”, Tommy grinned as he heard Oliver say this to Curtis.  
“ Felicity it´s time to go home. Tommy looks exhausted and given that he as a concussion, he should be lying down.”, Oliver said as he approached his girlfriend.   
“ I know, it´s just that I need to finish this”.   
“ What´s going on?”

Instead of answering Felicity played Ray´s message. Tommy was sitting on a chair, Oliver was right he was exhausted, his head was also pounding and all he wanted to do was crawl into bed. He leaned back into the chair and closed his eyes for bit. The bright light was starting to hurt his eyes, he also felt a little bit dizzy.

“ That´s impossible. Ray was...”  
“ Killed. In an explosion that blew up the top of this building six month ago. But that´s obviously not what happened, because he sent this message six days ago, and dead people don´t generally do that. Ray is alive. He´s out there somewhere and needs help”.  
“ First we need to take Tommy home. Then after you had something to eat you can look into it again from home”, while Oliver talked Felicity looked over to Tommy, she again felt guilty.  
“ Yeah, we should do that”.   
“ Tommy, time to go home. You okay to walk by yourself?” Oliver had approached Tommy and got down on his level.  
“ Tired, dizzy” Tommy mumbled sleepy.   
“ Come on buddy”, Oliver didn´t even think about it and lifted his Son up. 

Oliver came back down the stairs after he put the asleep Tommy to bed. Felicity was sitting on the couch still working on finding Ray. 

“ Did Ray´s message indicate what kind of trouble he´s in?” Oliver sat down beside her.  
“ If it did, it would have been the first thing I told you”, Felicity snapped.  
“ Okay. Is there anything that I can do to help?”  
“ No, I will however accept your undying support and maybe a back rub?”  
“ You can have both as soon as you...”  
“ Eat something”, Oliver stood up to make Felicity some dinner when her tablet began to beep.  
“ Oh, the trace program finished compiling”.  
“ What?” 

The screen on the tablet went black for a few seconds before the both could Ray´s face.

“ Felicity is that you?”  
“ Oh my god Ray”.  
“ Ray where are you?”, Oliver asked  
“ I don´t know. And if that wasn´t enough, I think i´m being held against my will”.  
“ By who?”  
“ I don´t know, I guess they want my suit, well at least the tech. Good news is, the tech is useless to them in my current condition.”  
“ Ray if you have your suit, then why don´t you just...”  
“ Bust my way out. Yeah that not really happening.”  
“ What, the suit doesn´t work?”  
“ Actually, it worked a little too well. I´m in some kind of glass square on what looks like a desk”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments and constructive critic is much appreciated.


	5. Rescuing a friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to cut this chapter because it would have been a little to long. 
> 
> Hope you all enjoy it.

Team Arrow sat around the conference table in the bunker. Felicity called the team right after Oliver and her had spoken to Ray. They didn´t have a lot of time because Tommy was home alone, sure he was sleeping but they didn´t want him to wake up with them gone. John, Thea and Laurel listened to Ray´s recording “ I´m alive and i´m in trouble”, neither of them could believe it that Ray was still alive. 

“ How is this possible?” John wanted to know.  
“ Ray modified his suit with the same nanites I injected into him after bad arrow shot him. It´s a long story involving a lot of molecular physics. The bottom line is that Ray jury-rigged a short-range message burst that was intercepted by whoever´s holding him. He thinks that whoever is holding him that they want his technology but they can´t use it while its small.  
“ Do we know where exactly he is in the City?” asked Laurel  
“ No. While he´s small, it´s like looking for a needle in a city of haystacks”, Oliver answered.  
“ Ray has something he thinks could help back at Palmer Tech.”  
“ Now that you are all filled in”, Felicity began walking out of the room.  
“ Where are you going?” wanted Oliver to know.  
“ Palmer Tech to pull up the schematics for Ray´s device”.  
“ I´ll come with you”.  
“ Why? Are you going to build this thing?”  
“ No. But there must be some other way for me to help you”.  
“ There isn´t Oliver. Go home to our Son before he wakes up all alone”, that being said Felicity left.

Everybody got and went home, while Felicity was working on the device they couldn´t really do something. Oliver checked on Tommy when he got home before he went to bed himself. Felicity was right he couldn´t really do something for now and ever since Tommy showed up they had to divide and conquer because neither of them wanted Tommy to be alone. Oliver woke up around lunch time the next day, he couldn´t remember the last time he slept in this late. When Oliver went downstairs he found Tommy on the couch watching cartoons with a bowl of cereal in his hand. 

“ Hey Tommy”, Oliver greeted while going over to the coffee maker.  
“ Hi Oliver. Felicity still sleeping?”  
“ No, she never came home with me. She is at Palmer Tech. right know”.  
“ To find a way to help Ray?”  
“ Yeah, are you okay with it being just you and me for a while”.  
“ Sure any plans?”  
“ Depends, how are you feeling today?”  
“ Better, headache is gone, i´m not dizzy anymore”.  
“ Good to hear, but we should take it slow. Would you like to help me with my campaign for a bit and then we could go for lunch and maybe some play some pool. You play pool right”.  
“ It´s been a while but yeah”.  
“ Nice, so you already had breakfast I see”.  
“ Yeah, I wasn´t sure when you would get up so I ate some cereal”.

After Oliver had breakfast, both boys got ready for the day before they left the loft and drove to Oliver´s office. Tommy helped the other interns folding flyer´s and counting buttons. He was asked by a few people who he was and why he was helping so Tommy told them that his parents were friends with Oliver and that they were on vacation and lived with Oliver until they came back.

Palmer Technology Building

Felicity worked all night on Ray´s schematics to figure out what they would need to build the device to enlarge Ray again. Curtis came to work a couple of hours ago to help her. 

“ Doctor Palmer got miniaturization to work. Do you have any idea how amazing this is?”, Curtis was like a child in a candy store.  
“ Yes. But the fact that Ray is being held hostage and could be killed at any moment because he is the size of a Cheeto has dampened my enthusiasm somewhat”, Felicity brought Curtis back on the ground before she continued speaking.  
“ Can you build this”, Felicity showed him some kind of gun.  
“ Yes. Um, all material are here at Palmer Tech, um, except for that”, Curtis pointed at the screen.  
“ That is a quantum manifold”, Curtis told Felicity as he noticed her questioning look.  
“ Never heard of it. Where do we get one?”  
“ Only one place...the manufacturer. They hold the patent on it..well, actually 16 patents.”  
“ Where?”  
“ K.O.R.D Industries. I´d ask them to do us a solid and loan it to us, but...”  
“They are our biggest competitor”, Felicity huffed.  
“ Good news is, things can´t get any worse”, as soon as Curtis said those worse both of them heard a bright shrieking. 

They looked at the source of the shriek and Felicity face drained out of shock. There in front of them stood her mother.

“ You just had to go and say that”, Felicity whispered to Curtis.  
“ There you are!”, Donna embraced her daughter.  
“ Mom, what are you doing here?”  
“ Well, I went to your office, Miss CEO, and your assistant told me you´d be here. So...her I am”.  
“ Not here...here, Star City here.”  
“ Well, Oliver told me that you´ve been working nonstop this past month, so I suggested a visit from your Mom”, Felicity groaned at that sentence.  
“ It´s exactly what you needed and guess what?”  
“ What?”, Felicity whined.  
“ He agreed...oh hi”.  
“ Hi”  
“ You are?”  
“ I´m Curtis”.  
“ It is an absolute pleasure to meet you”.  
“ You too, I can see where Felicity gets her, uh...blonde hair”.  
“ She dyes it, actually”.  
“ What do you want to do first? Trip to the mall, mani-pedi?” Donna asked Felicity.  
“ You know what, you must be exhausted from your flight. Why don´t I get a car to take you back to my place”, Felicity just hoped that Oliver wasn´t home with Tommy.  
“ A car? No, baby, I...I came here to see you”.  
“ I know! And you will. It´s just that right now Curtis and I are trying to figure out how to build a very important piece of equipment, or someone could die”.  
“ Die?”  
“ Metaphorically speaking”, Curtis said.  
“ You start constructing the machine, and I will get you the manifold”, Felicity ordered.  
“ But it´s proprietary! How are you going to do that?”  
“ I´m not”, Felicity shoved Donna out of the office.”  
“ Awesome. The Green Arrow´s going to be kicking some ass tonight”, Curtis cheered.  
“ If I don´t kick his first”, Felicity mumbled.

Oliver and Tommy were walking through a park on their way to Big Belly Burger when Oliver´s phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered it.

“ Hey Felicity”.  
“ Don´t hey me? What were you thinking”.  
“ What do you mean?”  
“ Guess who showed up at my office today?”  
“ I don´t know”.  
“ My Mom, Oliver...because apparently you agreed to her visiting us”.  
“ Well you know, your Mom doesn´t really take no for an answer”.  
“ You´ve face down Mirakuru soldiers and the League of Assassins. Are you honestly telling me that you couldn´t say no to my Mom?”  
“ She said she missed you and then she texted me one of those emojis with the single tear”.  
“ You´ve been texting with my Mother? How long has that been going on?”  
“ It started after she called us last month”, Oliver was clearly struggling to keep a straight face.  
“ You do know that we have to explain to her why a thirteen year old boy lives with us now”.  
“ In my defends I couldn´t know that”.  
“ Lucky for you, I still need the Green Arrow tonight to break into K.O.R.D Industries”.  
“ Why”.  
“ To steel something we need to get Ray back”.  
“ Ah..., listen Tommy and I are on our way to Big Belly Burger. How about we pick you up something and meet you and your Mom at home”.  
“ I´m still mad at you but yeah we can do that”.  
“ Okay see you soon”, Oliver hung up and let his phone slide back into his pocket.  
“ Sounds like you are in trouble”, Tommy grinned from ear to ear.  
“ Yep, big time. We also need a story for you because...well your Grandma is here”.  
“ Cool, I haven´t seen her in ages”.  
“ Don´t sound so exited”.  
“ Hey i´m aloud to be.. I come from a time where most of my family is dead”.  
“ Sorry buddy”.  
“ It´s okay, i´m here now and for that story you were speaking of I already have on”.  
“ Yeah, I was in your campaign office today remember? You interns asked me where i´m from and who i´m exactly”.  
“ What did you tell them?”  
“ That my parents were on vacation and you are taking care of me until they came back”.  
“ That will work, come on Felicity gets grumpy when she is hungry”.

Oliver and Tommy entered the loft to find Donna and Felicity sitting on the couch not really speaking to each other. Donna noticed them first and rushed to them to greet Oliver before she looked at Tommy with a confused look on her face.

“ Donna, this is Thomas. His parents asked us to watch him while they are away”, Oliver explained.  
“ Hi Donna”, Tommy greeted his Grandmother with a bright smile.  
“ Hi Thomas”.

Oliver went over to the table and put the bags from Big Belly Burger before he went over to Felicity to greet her with a kiss. She was still mad at him but enjoyed his greeting very much. Donna clearly felt the tension between them.

“ Thomas why don´t we take our burgers up stairs and eat them in the guestroom?”  
“ Uh...okay”, Tommy looked at his parents silently asking if it was okay. Oliver nodded.

After Donna and Tommy went upstairs, Oliver sat down beside Felicity. Neither of them spoke a word so Oliver tried to get her to speak about their plans tonight. 

“ I know what you´re trying to do”, Felicity huffed.  
“ Felicity, i´m sorry it´s just that I don´t like seeing you like this. I´m worried about you and sure I handled it completely wrong but please forgive for trying?”  
“ Can we please talk about this after we saved Ray?”  
“ Sure, what ever you want”, Oliver stood up to leave but Felicity grabbed his hand.  
“ Don´t go”, he sat down again and Felicity snuggled closer to him.  
“ You okay?”  
“ What´s happening with Ray...to Ray...is my fault”.  
“ Felicity it really isn´t”.  
“ Ray was sending distress calls for weeks after the accident. I wasn´t here to receive them because I was busy traveling the world with you.”  
“ Felicity....”  
“ It was my choice to uproot my entire life, leave my home and my job, which turns out, i´m very good at. I lost myself in you and I was never that girl. That girl who just loses herself in a guy. That is not who I am”.  
“ This isn´t about Ray. It´s about us?”  
“ No”  
“ Yes”  
“ I don´t know”.  
“ You know what. I´m going to give you some space until you figure it out. I´ll be at the bunker and prepare our mission”, Oliver stood up and left the loft. 

Felicity had asked Donna to keep Tommy company while she had to deal with a emergency at Palmer Tech. which of course was a lie. The team got what the needed to safe Ray and were on their way back to the Bunker. 

“ Hello? Is any one there”, Felicity gasped as she heard Ray´s voice.  
“ Ray....”  
“ Any luck with the schematics? I realized the quantum manifold could present challenge.”  
“ Nothing a little late night shopping at K.O.R.D couldn´t solve”.  
“ Oh that´s great. Thank you Felicity”  
“ Now we just have to figure out how to....” Ray stopped talking mid sentence.  
“ Ray you still there?”, Felicity saw Ray on the screen but also a another man white hair before the video feed cut to black.  
“ Where are Sara, Thea and Laurel”, Felicity asked when Oliver and John came back.  
“ Thea and Laurel took Sara home”, John said.

Felicity told them about her brief conversation with Ray before the feed cut off. 

“ Are you sure it was Darhk that you saw in Ray´s camera?”  
“ Just as sure as I am that Ray is not getting out of this”.  
“ It´s actually good that Darhk as Ray”.  
“ This would be the same level of delusion that made you think my mother coming to town would make me feel better.”  
“ Because it´s Darhk, that means we have an asset”, John said.  
“ I´ll ask Quentin to get us a location”.  
“ And what if between then and now, Darhk decides to squish Ray underneath his shoe?”  
“ If Darhk wanted to hurt Ray, he would have done it by now”.  
“ Dig´s right. We stay focused. We get Curtis the manifold, keep him working and we unfortunately just have to wait and see what Quentin finds out”.  
“ I hate waiting and seeing. I have to do something”.  
“ You could spent some time with Tommy and your Mom...or not”.  
“ Fine, i´ll go home and you talk to Lance”, Felicity stomped away leaving Oliver and John alone.

After Oliver had met with Quentin he went back to the bunker. He sat in front of Felicity´s babies and logged into them. The traffic cameras where online but he could see nothing yet.

“ You got to give them a minute to upload”, Oliver heard John say as he approached.  
“ John, what are you doing here?”  
“ I thought I was waiting for Lance while you were back home with the Smoak ladies and Tommy”.  
“ Felicity and I talked earlier and apparently Donna isn´t the problem”.  
“ So what is it then?” John poured some whiskey in to glasses and gave one to Oliver.  
“ I am. Felicity said that she´s lost herself in our relationship, which means that she doesn´t know who she is, and that if we hadn´t left Star City when we did, she would have been around to help Ray”.  
“ Meta-humans, magic, resurrections, time travel....I thought i´d seen it all, but Oliver Queen jealous”.  
“ I´m not jealous. I just got to know if Ivy town was as good as it gets for us, because we´ve come back here. Everything has just gotten more complicated and it just makes me wonder, why did she choose me”.  
“ Oliver, i´ve heard you say a lot of crazy things over the years, but that has to be the prize”.  
“ You know what I mean. It takes me ten minutes to log into this thing”, Oliver pointed at the computer and continued “ Felicity does it in two seconds and Ray probably invented it.”  
“ Yeah, you´re probably right. Except Felicity didn´t choose Ray. She choose you”.  
“ Sure, she has a lot in common with Ray but sometime what looks good on paper isn´t what works in real life”, John.  
“ What if something happens to him? We don´t get him back”, Oliver asked.  
“ Felicity Smoak is one of the smartest, most bad ass women on the planet. She will come through this and will get Ray back”.  
“ You seem pretty sure about that”.  
“ I married a women just like that. Twice, Oliver, twice.”  
“ Yes you did”.  
“ Look, man, relationships have their ups and downs. Sometimes you just have to give it some time”, Oliver nodded at Johns words when his phone began to vibrate.  
“ It´Quentin, meeting with Darhk in twenty.”  
“ You good?”  
“ Better. Thank you”.

After Felicity came home she had taken a shower and changed into her pj´s. She tried to get some sleep but all she did was turning around in bed, so she now sat on the couch in the living room thinking about her conversation with Oliver. 

“ Hey baby”.  
“ Hey, I thought you were sleeping by now”.  
“ Not when my daughter clearly is plagued by something”.  
“ It´s nothing Mom. Did you enjoy your time with Tommy?”  
“ Yes, he is such a sweet boy. We had so much fun and did you know that he can cook?”  
“ No but that explains the mess in the kitchen”.  
“ Yeah, sorry about that we will clean it tomorrow, promise”.  
“ Thanks”.  
“ One thing about Tommy though, did you notice that he looks like Oliver”.  
“ Uh...”, Felicity needed some excuse for her mother, “..well his parents are kind of related to Oliver that must be it”.  
“ Oh.., I guess that makes sense”, Felicity let go of the breath she was holding.  
“ Baby, do you remember when you were a little girl and I told you, you couldn´t go to Space Camp. You locked yourself in your room for two day”.  
“ To be fair, it was Space Camp”.  
“ The truth was, hon, I...i couldn´t afford it”.  
“ Then why didn´t you just tell me that?”  
“ Because, I was embarrassed, you know, that I had no money, that I had no idea where your father was and event if I did, he never paid a dime in child support, anyway”.  
“ I´m sorry, I had no idea”.  
“ I put everything into your father. My love, my trust, my twenties.”  
“ My point is Felicity, you...are not me”.  
“ You are the CEO of a bajillion dollar company and Oliver, he´s not like your father, hon”.  
“ He loves you. No one has ever looked at me the way he looks at you”.  
“ He´s wonderful, in a million different ways. But that´s the problem, Mom”.  
“ It´s too easy to lose myself in him”.  
“ Baby, that´s how it´s supposed to feel when you love someone”.  
“ Oliver has lost himself in you too, but you´ll find yourself´s in each other”.  
“ Thanks Mom”.  
“ Anytime, come on let´s go to bed”.

Tommy was the first person to wake in the morning. He got himself ready and headed down in the kitchen to clean it up and to make breakfast for Donna. Tommy enjoyed the evening he had with her, they cooked together and talked about a lot of stuff. Donna wanted to know if a good looking boy like him had a girlfriend which he declined. 

“ Morning, Tommy”, Felicity greeted her Son when she came down the stairs.  
“ Hey, I didn´t know you were home, I made breakfast and coffee of course”.  
“ Yeah... I came in pretty late yesterday. My Mom told me you can cook”.  
“ Dad taught me, every Saturday we had a family breakfast”, Tommy put the bacon down on the table before he sat down.  
“ Did you find Ray?”, Tommy asked Felicity.  
“ Not yet. Oliver is working on it right know”, as Felicity spoke her phone beeped on the coffee table.  
“ Speak of the devil”, Tommy smiled while Felicity rushed over to her phone.  
“ We have a location, I got to go. Are you okay staying here again with my Mom. I promise when this is over we will spend some time together”.  
“ Sure, go”.

Felicity rushed out of the apartment and Tommy was again alone. He kind of understood why Mia hated vigilantes so much, the difference between the siblings was that he got to watch them right know making sacrifices to keep their loved ones safe. Tommy began to wonder, did Mia know he was gone, did she look for him, were there already noticeable changes in his timeline. 

“ Good morning Tommy”, his head shot up as he heard Donna´s voice.  
“ Morning”.  
“ Felicity still sleeping?”  
“ Uh..no she had to go...emergency board meeting at Palmer Tech”, Tommy lied.  
“ Oh... I see you made breakfast”.  
“ Yeah, I hope you are hungry because I think a made too much”.  
“ Do you have any plans for today?” Donna asked while pouring herself a cup of coffee.  
“ Not yet”.  
“ Well it is a Saturday, which means we could go to the shopping mall and get you a girlfriend”  
“ Uh...”, Tommy understood now while his Mom always said Donna had not boundaries when it came to someone else´s love life.

The Bunker

Team Arrow and Captain Lance stood in the middle of the room, all watching the schematics of the building where apparently Darhk was holding Ray.

“ Latin building. Before the city went to crap, it was touted as the most secure building on the west coast. Every access point is protected by a retinal scanner, and a voice print”, Felicity explained.  
“ So there is now way, we´re getting in there”, Laurel asked.  
“ Not from the outside, at least”.  
“ How´s Curtis doing on the re-sizing device?” Oliver stood with his arms crossed.  
“ He said he could have something functional in a couple of hours”.  
“ We can´t really break in during the day, so we wait until Curtis is finished, we also will need his help”, Oliver said.  
“ Wait what?”  
“ We need him, and if Curtis can re-size Ray on the inside, then we have another hand getting us all outside”.  
“ Then hoe about one more”, their heads all turned to where Sarah was approaching.  
“ I don´t think that´s a good idea”, Laurel was visible concerned.  
“ Laurel, I don´t know what´s going on with me, but I need to know that I can control this”.  
“ Then it´s settled, we rescue Ray tonight”.

Donna had dragged Tommy to the mall. She went in every store and looked around for new clothes, shoes and make-up. He didn´t now how many hours they were in the mall, all he know that he was exhausted and really wanted to just sit down for a moment. Another hour went by before Donna granted his wish and the sat down at the food court for some lunch. 

“ So, do you see a girl you like?”, Tommy almost spilled his drink.  
“ No...and please stop that”.  
“ Oh...do you like boys?”  
“ What, no...no it´s just i´ll go home in a couple of weeks and I don´t want a girlfriend”.  
“ Oh....okay”, Donna was clearly hurt by Tommy´s harsh words.  
“ I´m sorry Donna, it´s just I have lot going on right now”.

Donna´s phone started ringing before she could say anything else. 

“ Hi, Felicity....we are at the mall...oh..okay...”, Donna hung up.  
“ Was she mad?”  
“ No, she just want us to go home”.

Felicity sat at the kitchen counter tipping away on her notebook, when Oliver came in. After her talk with Donna she was ready to speak with Oliver about her feelings. And given that they had to wait until nightfall for rescuing Ray now was the time. Oliver was on his way to the stairs when Felicity stopped him. 

“ Can we talk?”, Felicity got up and made her way to the couch.  
“ Sure”, Oliver followed her and they both sat down.  
“ I wanted to thank you, for being so supportive with this whole Ray situation”.  
“ Well, i´m sorry that i´m not the best listener”.  
“ All of this is just new to me you know”  
“ Given my dating history, it´s new to me too”.  
“ It´s kind of amazing that we made it this far”, Felicity said.  
“ For what it´s worth, I lost my self in you too”, Oliver took her hands and looked in her eyes.  
“ We are going to be fine”, she said almost like a whisper.  
“ How can you be so sure?”.  
“ Because we found ourselves in each other” Felicity kissed him.

Later that day Team Arrow successfully rescued Ray out of Darhk´s hands. After their mission, Sarah decided to leave Star City to find her self. Felicity told Ray about all the things he missed and that she had to sell his condo. Oliver and Felicity had a talk with Tommy and promised him that they would try to be there for him no matter how crazy the thing with Darhk will get. Tommy explained to them that he understood and asked them if he could help the next time the needed to safe Star City. Both of his parents weren´t exactly fond of the idea but agreed anyway. Donna decided to stay a little longer in Star City much to Felicity delight sarcastically speaking of course.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won´t be able to post for a couple of weeks, because of a buisness trip.  
> As always comments and constructive critic is much appreciated.


	6. Calling out the Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, it´s been a while since I was able to post something. I wrote it while I was in Irland for work, unfortunatly i was only home for the easter holiday and i have to go back for another few weeks, so i´m not sure when i´m home again, my pen and notebook are always with me so fingers crossed that i have time to write the next chapter while i´m being there.
> 
> Btw..i was able to write two chapters so you´re getting both of them today.

The guestroom was barley illuminated by the small lamp on the bedside table. Tommy was sprawled out on top of the duvet sound asleep, a Batman comic was laying on his chest. He had tried to wait up for Felicity and Oliver who were on their way from helping Barry in Central City but the exhaustion finally took over when he had picked up the comic book and started reading it. The last couple of weeks were pretty eventful for him, Oliver´s campaign took off so he had to go to a few gala dinners and events, Felicity showed him some new tech Palmer Tech. was working on and even asked him for some ideas after she saw him building a small robot out of some junk which he had found on Curtis´s desk. Then Barry needed their help and after being attacked at the loft his parents, John, Thea and Laurel all packed their bags and left with Barry to help him back in Central City. 

Donna had cleaned up the mess, she and Tommy made while the had cooked dinner and was now waiting herself for Felicity and Oliver to come home. What she didn´t understand was that both of them were so determined for her to watch Tommy while they were in Central City. She wondered because according to them, Tommy lived there with his parents. She knew deep down that her daughter was lying to her about something that had to be about him. Her thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the front door.  
“ Hey Mom,” Felicity greeted her mother as she came in followed by Oliver.  
“ Hi, guys. I´m so glad you are back”, Donna noticed how exhausted the looked.  
“ Happy to be home”, Oliver said with a tired smile.  
“ You both look exhausted, we talk tomorrow”, Donna smiled and went upstairs.  
“ What do you think was that about?”, Oliver asked as he collapsed on the couch.  
“ I have no idea, but knowing my mother it can´t be good”, Felicity sat down beside him.  
“ Hell of a week”, Oliver said while snuggling closer to his girlfriend.  
“ Agreed. Hey did you speak with Samantha before we left Central City”.  
“ I did and he is my son, she also made me promise not to tell anyone which I won´t, except you because you are the women I love”.  
“ Will you see him again?”  
“ One day, Samantha will work out schedule so I can visit him”.  
“ Maybe one day I can meet him too”.  
“ I would like that”.  
“ Come on, let´s go to bed”, Felicity stood up and pulled Oliver with her. 

Tommy slowly opened his eyes when the first sunlight of the winter sun came through the windows, still drowsy from sleeping he sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. It was to early for anybody else to be awake yet so he had at least a couple of hours for himself for which he was glad. Tommy left the room and went downstairs. The darkness of the loft was replaced by the light of the rising sun. He opened the glass door, stepped out on the balcony and took a deep breath, the city was silent and calm almost to be asleep by itself. 

“ Morning, you´re up early”, Oliver suddenly stood beside Tommy which startled him.  
“ I´m up now”, Tommy said.  
“ Sorry I didn´t mean to scare you”.  
“ You didn´t. I just wasn´t expecting that anybody else would be up yet”.  
“ I heard the door opening so I thought to check it out”.  
“ You could hear that?”  
“ Five years on an island teach you a lot of things”.  
“ Right, sorry for making you think someone broke in”.  
“ Nothing to apologize for, what are you doing out here?”  
“ Just thinking about something”.  
“ Mia?”  
“ Yeah. I thought about what she would do, if she was here”.  
“ You didn´t really tell us about her, why is that?”  
“ Because there are consequences to the future if you change the past to much”.  
“ Which you already did by showing up”.  
“ Yes and even more, I told you who William was before you were supposed too”.  
“ I don´t think that´s a bad thing”.  
“ Not for you but it could be for my timeline”.  
“ Okay, I understand. Just tell me a little bit about Mia?”  
“ I can´t Oliver sorry, please don´t make me”, Tommy was pleading.  
“ I won´t. Can you tell me more about you?”  
“ I guess. Everybody always thought I was a Mommy´s boy”, Oliver chuckled.  
“ Were you?”  
“ No, Dad told me once that his connection with his mother was stronger then with his Dad, but that didn´t mean he loved his Dad less and the same thing does apply to me. I´m a geek like Mom you know. Computers, comic books, classic movies those are my hobbies. Mia always trained with you or aunt Nyssa, I did too sometimes but I preferred video games”.  
“ Hold on you both trained with Nyssa and me”, Oliver was surprised at that.  
“ It was a precaution so we could defend ourselves, just in case at first but after the city turned on you and all the other vigilantes, Mia and I were glad we had training.”  
“ What happened after I left?”  
“ Nothing special really. Other kids tried to beat me up at school and I kicked their butts. We moved out of the city after that”.

Oliver couldn´t believe what he just heard. Star City would always be a plagued by criminals but how could it turn against him and his family again after everything he was trying to do.

“ I know that it won´t mean much, but i´m sorry for leaving”.  
“ Thanks”, Tommy hugged Oliver.  
“ We have to find a way to send me home”, Tommy said as he was letting go of Oliver.  
“ Felicity, Katelyn and Cisco are working on it”.

After breakfast Tommy accompanied Oliver and Felicity to help clean Starling Bay, while Donna stayed behind to plan for the Holiday party later this evening. Tommy helped John picking up some trash while his parents did their own thing. Oliver talked to the press, Felicity showed some kids the science behind cleaning up a bay. 

“ Everything okay Tommy”, Dig asked while handing him a bottle of water.  
“ I´m great to be honest”.  
“ Glad to here that, are you having fun”.  
“ Not really but I get to spend sometimes with my family so that counts for something right”.  
“ Yeah, i´m glad you´re here.”  
“ Why?”  
“ Because Oliver always thinks he can´t have it all but you being here shows him exactly the opposite. He may not show it but you already changed him as Felicity does everyday”.  
“ You know John, i´m glad to be here too”.

Suddenly gunfire could be heard and panic spread through the people cleaning up the bay. 

“ Everybody get down”, Oliver screamed while running towards Felicity and the kids.  
“ Tommy, down”, John ordered.

A drone hovered above the water and fired at every moving person. 

“ I think I can power the drone down remotely”, Felicity shouted.  
“ I think now would be a good time for that”, Laurel told her. 

Tommy was hiding behind a barrel with John who was shooting at the drone, when he felt something penetrate his shoulder immediately followed by pain. Tommy screamed and crumbled to the ground holding his now bleeding shoulder. Oliver had tackled a girl to the ground to safe her from the gunfire when he heard Tommy´s scream. Felicity typed fanatically in her tablet, she also had heard Tommy and was torn between shutting down the drone and running to him. Finally the drone shut off and fell into the water. 

“ He was hit in the shoulder by a wandering bullet”, John explained as Oliver made it over to them.  
“ The Ambulance is on it´s way”, Felicity fell to her knees.  
“ The bullet hit shoulder, we have to stop the bleeding before he loses consciousness ”.

Oliver pulled of his jacket and handed it to John who immediately pressed it against the wound. 

“ Sleepy, hurts”, Tommy slurred.  
“ We know buddy, but you have to stay with us”, Felicity pleaded.

The EMT´s ran over to them and immediately took over. When Tommy was stabilized they heaved him on the stretcher and took off, followed by Oliver, John and Felicity. 

“ Go with him, i´ll meet you at the hospital”, Oliver said to Felicity when the reached the ambulance. 

Felicity sat beside Tommy and was holding his hand when Oliver, John, Laurel, Thea and Quentin came into the room. 

“ How is he?”, Oliver rushed to her side.  
“ He lost consciousness on the way over here. Doctor Schwartz said that he will make a full recovery”.  
“ Any news on the other victims”, Thea asked.  
“ Some are being released, some are still in surgery”, Quentin answered.  
“ It´s a miracle that no one died”.  
“ Despite Darhk´s best efforts”, Felicity growled.  
“ Are we sure that this was H.I.V.E?”  
“ Two weeks ago Darhk told me to back off my plan to clean up the bay. Today he went after civilians”, Oliver looked down at Tommy and anger flooded his body.  
“ Alex just texted, every network in the country is looking for a comment from you”.  
“ No comment”.  
“ Ollie”.  
“ What do you want me to say? I asked people to come and help, they almost died because of it.” “ Somehow the bay is important to Darhk, we need to know what it is”, Oliver said.  
“ What if, we go public”, Thea suggested.  
“ No absolutely not. I won´t put a target on all of your backs”.  
“ Thea is right, Ollie”, Laurel said.  
“ There has to be another way”.  
“ There isn´t”, Felicity was mostly focused on Tommy.  
“ Felicity”.  
“ Oliver, we all can handle ourselves and I have you. We have to do this. Maybe someone saw something that could help”.  
“ She is right Oliver”.  
“ Thea call Alex and tell him to set up a press conference at the bay i´ll be there in two hours”.  
“ On it”.  
“ Quentin after I do this we need a hot line for tips”.  
“ I´ll set one up at the precinct”.  
“ Thank you”.

After Thea, Laurel and Quentin had left it didn´t take Tommy to wake up. Dr. Schwartz cleared him for release and they took him home. 

“ Hey Mom”, Felicity greeted her Mother when she and Tommy came in.  
“ Thank god you are both okay. Oh my what happened”.  
“ I got shot in the shoulder”, Tommy told Donna.  
“ A wandering bullet hit him but it will be okay in a couple of weeks”, Felicity explained.  
“ It´s so awful. Who shoots up a bunch of people during the holidays”.  
“ That´s what makes it awful?”  
“ Why does it look like Santa Claus threw up in here”, Tommy asked.  
“ It´s for the Holiday party tonight”.  
“ Not sure that´s still gonna happening”.  
“ What? Humbug. No you can´t let the terrorists win”.  
“ Mom, would it be okay if I take my pain killers and lay down for a bit?”  
“ Sure Tommy, i´ll be up in a second and bring them to you okay”.  
“ How are you really Baby”, asked Donna when Tommy was gone.  
“ Mom, it was awful all I could think about was Tommy and when I heard him scream I almost dropped everything”.  
“ That´s called being a Mother. Where is Oliver by the way”.  
“ He had to go to the office to get ready for a press conference. I have to be there too, so I take a quick shower and head out after. Could you watch Tommy?”  
“ Sure honey”, Felicity was on her way upstairs when her Mother screamed.  
“ Mom! Mom! Are you ok?” Felicity rushed back to Donna.  
“ I...In the Christmas lights....in a ring box. I found this”, Donna showed Felicity a beautiful ring.  
“ 3 carats, princess cut. I knew Oliver loved you, but not this much”, Felicity was speechless.  
“ I heard screaming, is everything ok?” Tommy came down the stairs.  
“ Yes everything is alright. Mom we talk about this later ok”. Felicity guided Tommy back upstairs.

Oliver had changed into a dress shirt and pants and was now standing in front of a dozens of journalists addressing today´s events.

“ Thank you for coming everyone. As today´s tragedy has reminded us, we are at war. For six months we have been besieged by a nameless and a faceless organization that seems hell bent on destroying our city. You know them as the Ghosts. And while they may be anonymous, their leader is not. He has a face, he has a name, and I think it is high time the people of Star City know the truth about who he his”, Oliver then hold up a photo of Damien Darhk.´and continued.  
“ His name is Damien Darhk. He controls the Ghosts on behalf of an organization known as H.I.V.E. and wants this city to die”, Oliver ended his speech and went back to Felicity and the others. 

“ That should get his attention at the very least”, Laurel said as Oliver reached the group.  
“ Yeah, still it doesn´t feel right to me, exposing you all”.  
“ Oliver we made our choice”, John assured.  
“ Still, all of you should be careful”.  
“ I gotta go, i´ll be meeting my Dad back at the precinct”.  
“ You good with the hot-line?”, Laurel nodded and left the group.  
“ We should cancel the Christmas party”, Oliver told Thea.  
“ Holiday party and no you shouldn´t”, Felicity said  
“ Felicity, we just waved a red flag in front of a bull”.  
“ It doesn´t mean we can put our entire lives on hold in the meantime”.  
“ But...John help me out here”, Oliver sighed.  
“ As much as your speech was about outing Darhk, it was also about sending the message that you´re not afraid of him”.  
“ Thanks John. Also my Mom is decorating since this morning”.  
“ Fine, John, Thea talk to Lance, see if he can get some extra security for this holiday party”.  
“ See you guys later”.

Oliver and Felicity then made their way over to the car to drive home so they could check on Tommy and Donna. Felicity got in first and buckled up when Oliver started the car and drove them home. 

“ Can I ask you a something?”, Oliver looked over to her.  
“ Now? Here?...I mean sure what´s the question?”  
“ Did we do the right thing?”  
“ You mean with Darhk?”  
“ Yeah. I can´t shake this feeling that we made a mistake.”  
“ Oliver, i´m scared too and terrified by thinking about what Darhk will do to us or Tommy, but I believe in you to keep us safe”.  
“ No pressure then”.  
“ Nope”.

When Tommy had woken up from his pain medication induced nap, he was more exhausted then before. His shoulder didn´t hurt as much as he expected when he dressed himself in a t-shirt and shorts. Tommy then went downstairs to get something to drink and eat. 

“ Hey buddy, how you feeling”, Oliver greeted as he saw him descend down the stairs.  
“ Pretty good actually”.  
“ Shoulder okay”.  
“ For now. Where is Donna and Felicity?”  
“ Oh they have gone dress shopping for tonight”.  
“ Ah your Christmas party. So who will babysit me while you are there?”  
“ No one, because you will be joining us”.  
“ I don´t have a suit”.  
“ Not yet. John and I will take you to buy one”.  
“ Oh...what about the sling”.  
“ We find a way to make it work”.  
“ Can I eat something first?”  
“ Sure thing, I made some grilled cheese”, Oliver offered Tommy a plate.  
“ Thanks”, Tommy took the plate and sat down at the kitchen bar. 

Damien Darhk had watched Oliver´s speech on TV and was now pacing in his office. He wasn´t a violent man, all he wanted was a better world and he couldn´t understand why nobody wanted that too. H.I.V.E would help him archive this goal and nobody could stand in their way. Darhk had ordered his man to find out where Oliver Queen was so he could end it once and for all. 

Tommy stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom, his tie hung loosely around his neck. Tommy grabbed the tie and threw it out the door and onto the floor. He wasn´t able to tie it because of his shoulder and if he was being honest he never really learned it. Most of his tie´s were clip on´s when he was little and Oliver never really had to show him because of that. 

“ I look better without it anyway”, he mumbled to himself.  
“ Problems with your tie bud?” Oliver stepped into the room and tie in one hand.  
“ I can´t do it with my shoulder in a sling”.  
“ Come here”, Oliver turned Tommy so he was facing him and began to tie the tie.  
“ There, all done. Just grab you suit jacket and we are good to go”.  
“ Thanks”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments and kudos are highly appreciated


	7. The Devil answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the 2nd chapter of today.

The holiday party was in full swing when Oliver, Felicity, Tommy and Donna entered. People were having a good time. Oliver excused himself and Felicity so the could greet his sponsors and some important people. 

“ Hey T. how´s the shoulder?”, Thea asked him as he came close.  
“ Better, thanks for asking”.  
“ Not really in the mood to talk, huh”.  
“ Huh”.  
“ What´s up with you Tommy?”  
“ Nothing just, look at Felicity she acts kinda funny”, Tommy pointed over the couple.   
“ She is always like that, don´t worry”, Thea had a amused look on her face.

Tommy watched his Mother as she was talking to Dig about something, when Curtis and another man joined them.

“ Is it just me or did you hire the US army as your caterers?”, Curtis commented.  
“ Actually they are marines. John Diggle, I work security for Mr. Queen”, John answered.  
“ Curtis Holt and this is my husband Paul”.  
“ Wow. A hottie. Nice work Curtis”, six pairs of eyes suddenly turned to Felicity.  
“ What, was...wait, was that weird?”  
“ A little”, Paul answered Felicity´s question.  
“ Let´s change to subject. How long have you two been married”, John asked Curtis and Paul.  
“ 5 Years right about now”, Curtis answered and looking to Paul for confirmation.  
“ A winter wedding, that must have been beautiful”, Felicity said.  
“ It was summer actually, we got married on a scuba diving boat near the Great Barrier Reef”.  
“ I hid the ring in a seashell at the bottom of the reef”, Paul explained.  
“ And you were lucky that I found it”, Curtis chuckled.  
“ Well, you never would have found it if I had put it in a dessert like straight people do”  
“ Souffle”, Felicity whispered to herself.  
“ You ok Felicity?” Curtis asked.  
“ Yeah, just got to find my Mom”, Felicity left the group and looked for Donna.

After Thea had introduced Oliver to the Chief of the Fire department, she went looking for Tommy. She found him sitting at a sofa near the buffet fiddling on his tie. 

“ Pretty boring right”, Thea sat down beside him.  
“ Not much to do here for thirteen year old boy,”  
“ Everything alright with you?”  
“ I´m fine, why?”  
“ You look like you are miles away from here. I was a brooding teenager myself, so what´s up”.  
“ Nothing just thinking about stuff”, Tommy glanced over to Felicity and Oliver.  
“ Do you think that the talk about the engagement ring Donna found today?”, Tommy asked.  
“ Wait, Donna found the ring?”  
“ Mhm, she screamed when she did and Felicity ran over to her. So Donna showed her the ring”.  
“ Oh boy, I told him weeks ago that....”, Thea was interrupted by gunfire. 

People outside were screaming, all guest retreated to the sides and back of the room, as Darhk and a few of his goons came in. Damien Darhk took a glass of red wine and drank from it before he was approaching Oliver.

“ Malbec. Nice. How did you know that was my favorite red?”   
“ So full bodied, so full of life. Unlike your security outside”, Darhk continued.  
“ What do you want?”, Oliver growled at the man standing before him.  
“ Your loyalty, your allegiance. I told you there would be a price to pay if you refused”.  
“ I made that decision, not these people. Let them go”, Oliver.   
“ Oh..., I wish I could do that. I really do”, Darhk flicked his finger and Oliver flew across the room through the window of his office and got knocked out as he hit the floor hard. Darhk took another sip of wine before he left the room himself, he ordered his ghosts to take Felicity, John and Thea as hostage. Tommy helpless had to watched as his Mother and Aunt were dragged out of the room. 

Tommy snapped out of his trance like state and ran over to where Oliver was laying on the floor. He fell on his knees and began to shake Oliver hoping that he would wake up.

“ Dad, come on they took Mom, Thea and John”, Tommy didn´t care if someone could hear him.  
“ Oliver! Oliver, they took her”, Donna was suddenly beside him.  
[ Groans and Moans]  
“ Please, they took my baby girl”, Donna pleaded as she helped Oliver up on his feet.  
“ It´s ok, i´ll get her back”.  
“ You okay?” Oliver asked Tommy and gave him a short hug.  
“ I´m fine, please find her, Dad”, Tommy whispered in Oliver´s shoulder.  
“ I will find them. Quentin could you bring Donna and Tommy home please?”  
“ Sure, what are you going to do?”  
“ The police is here”, Alex told them before Oliver could answer Quentin question.  
“ Alex. Take care of these people, get them home if the need it and pay it for it out of the fund”.  
“ Of course, but what about the police?”  
“ Stall them”, Oliver was already out the door before Alex could ask how.

After Quentin had brought Tommy and Donna home, he checked every room in the loft for intruders before he allowed them both to enter. 

“ I´ll go back to the precinct to help find Felicity and the others, you two are safe here”.  
“ No, no, no. What happens when they find us?”, Donna was hysterical.  
“ Donna, nothing is going to happen. Darhk got what he wanted”, Quentin assured her.  
“ Please find them.”  
“ We do everything we can. I´ll call you as soon as we have something”.

Tommy watched from the couch as Quentin left, he was scared that this was one consequence for talking about the future. Tommy also knew that Donna had heard him as he called Oliver “Dad”, but he was not in the mood for talking about that. 

Oliver had hunted down all the ghosts he could find in the city and asked them were he could find Damien Darhk. Most of them killed themselves with the cyanide implanted in their teeth, the ones who didn´t talk so Oliver was forced to knock them out. He wasn´t a killer anymore even if he wanted to kill every last one of them. Laurel was waiting for him in the bunker as he returned. 

“ Darhk´s ghosts won´t talk”, Oliver said as he put his bow down on the table.  
“ We´ll find them Ollie”.  
“ Did you learn something from the hotline?”  
“ Only how many crazy and bored people there are in the city”.  
“ Don´t go there Oliver”, Laurel said as she saw this particular look on his face.  
“ Where?”  
“ Your go-to place. It´s not your fault”.  
“ It is my fault. I´m the one who outed Darhk”.  
“ I seem to remember us all being there when you did”.  
“ I ran for mayor because I can protect myself and I thought that all of you could, too.”  
“ And you were right, we can”.  
“ Neither one of you did sign up for this”.  
“ Oliver, we can take care of ourselves, and that includes Felicity”.  
“ I´m going out there. Someplace there is a Ghost that´s gonna talk to me”.  
“ What if there isn´t”.  
“ I´m going to take great pleasure in trying to make them”.

Tommy took his medication and had gone upstairs to freshen up and change into sweatpants and a T-shirt before he gotten comfortable on the bed with his backpack. He pulled out some old photo of him and Mia with their parents and looked at it. 

“ I´m sorry Mia, this is my fault. I never should have gone to that warehouse”.  
“ And now i´m talking to a picture”, he huffed.  
“ Thomas are you okay”, Donna had opened the door.  
“ I´m fine”, he lied.  
“ Can I ask you something?”  
“ You want to know why I called Oliver “ Dad””, he said.  
“ If you don´t mind telling me”.

Tommy knew it was wrong to tell another person from the past but after what happened today he didn´t really care about it anymore. He made some room on the bed and signaled Donna to sit with him. Donna sat down and all Tommy did was handing her the picture he had in his hand. The photograph showed Oliver holding a laughing little girl upside down while a clearly exhausted Felicity was sitting in a hospital bed cradling a newborn.

“ I don´t understand?”, Donna asked surprised.  
“ John took this picture on the day I was born. I accidentally traveled through time”.  
“ How is that even possible?”  
“ Beats me, the fact that i´m here is odd enough for me”.  
“ So you are my grandson and I even have a granddaughter?”  
“ In the future yes”.  
“ Oh, come here sweet boy of mine”, Donna surprised Tommy by hugging him.  
“ Why are you so calm about it?”.  
“ I don´t know,” Donna smiled at Tommy. 

Laurel had confronted Quentin about him working for Darhk after she had gotten a tip from someone calling the hotline. Both of them were arguing when Oliver came back from his ghost hunting. Quentin saw the opportunity to stop the arguing with Laurel.

“ You got something?”, Quentin asked Oliver.  
“ Just a lot of suicidal ghosts”, Oliver answered with a sighed.   
“ Where does that leave us?”, Laurel asked.  
“ This place is even easier to break into than your last lair”, Malcolm stepped out of the shadows.  
“ What the hell”, Quentin pulled out his gun and aimed it at Malcolm.  
“ Dad!”  
“ Malcolm what are you doing here?” Oliver growled.  
“ My daughter is in danger and shouldn´t your first question be what took you so long?”  
“ What is this?”, Oliver asked as Malcolm holds up a phone.  
“ H.I.V.E uses encrypted satellite phones to communicate, that´s one of them.”  
“ And where did you get it?” spat Quentin.  
“ I´m Ra´s al Ghul”.  
“ We can use it to track Darhk”, Laurel said.  
“ If Felicity were here, maybe but as it is, our play is trading me for them”.  
“ Oliver, you can´t be serious. That´s a terrible idea”.  
“ It´s my fault he took them. I brought all this on, I have to end it”, Oliver took the phone and dialed

After Oliver had called Darhk to make a deal and the plan was set he waited for Darhk´s ghosts at the shore of the Star City Bay. It didn´t take long for the ghosts to show up, one of them put a black hood over Oliver´s head before the pushed him into their van. 

“ What´s the word for a man who threatens the man who´s holding his dearest captive?”  
“ You took them to make a point and you made it, let them go”, Oliver growled.  
“ I´m sorry, did you think this was quid pro quo, Mr. Queen?”  
“ We had a deal, now let my friends go”.  
“ Patience. Did you know who perfected the gas chamber?”, Darhk stood before a glass chamber.  
“ No, the Nazis of course. I always wondered why the world allowed those monsters to exist and thrive and then I realized, the world needed them to. As horrible as it sounds, every now and then, humanity needs a reset, a do-over so to speak”, Darhk told Oliver.  
“ What is this?” Oliver asked as a one of the ghosts opened up the door of the chamber.  
“ A demonstration of the project that you´re gonna help us with once we install you as mayor”.

Another door opened and two ghosts came in, escorting a man dressed in what looked like a gray version of the suits Jews had to wear in the concentration camps. 

“ Thank you for your service, your mind and your belief in me”, Darhk spoke to the man.

Darhk lead the man into the chamber before he closed the door and trapped him inside. The man dressed in gray looked clearly brainwashed to Oliver. The chamber turned on and the ventilation system of the chamber opened up, it didn´t take long for the man to collapse dead on the floor.

“ He lasted longer than I thought he would”, Darhk said with a tone of happiness in his voice.   
“ Lock him up and adjust the ratio of the bloom so that our next presentation lasts longer”.

Oliver was dragged out by two ghosts followed by Darhk. He was brought into another room with a lot of cells. The further they pushed him down the hallway the more anxious he got, finally at the end of the hallway he could see a flash of red and immediately knew that it was Felicity. The door to her cell opened and Oliver got pushed in. 

“ Oliver”, Felicity practically jumped into his arms.  
“ Isn´t that sweet, we´ll give you some privacy”, the door closed and Darhk and his man were gone.  
“ Are you okay? John and Thea okay too?”  
“ I´m fine and I think both of them are too”, Oliver was relieved that she was okay and unhurt.  
“ Oh my got, did the take Tommy too, please don´t tell me Darhk has our son”.  
“ Hey, hey. He is with our Mom back home and he is fine”.  
“ That´s good. Oliver, please don´t tell me you traded your life for ours”.  
“ For me being able to find all of you, I had to turn myself in”.  
“ One little problem, well two if you think that Darhk is gonna keep up his end of the bargain”.  
“ We got that covert”.  
“ Yeah, what happens when the cavalry shows up without the Green Arrow?”  
“ I´ve had that handled, Felicity. This was the only way”.  
“ Why, because you think that all of that is your fault? I hate to break this to you but it isn´t”.  
“ At the Christmas party from hell, you said you were gonna propose and you didn´t because you weren´t sure our relationship could survive this kind of life”.  
“ It was a Holiday party. And I had more to say before we were attacked”.  
“ Just so you know, if you would have asked me. I would have said yes”.  
Oliver embraced Felicity again and didn´t plan on letting her go ever again. When Darhk returned with his goons who tried to separate him from her, Oliver knocked him out. Darhk allowed him to be close to Felicity for now. They both were brought back into the room were Darhk demonstrated his gas chamber earlier to Oliver. Thea and John were already in there, two ghosts held Oliver while a third pulled Felicity out of his grasp and pushed her in the chamber as well.

“ We had a deal, Darhk”, Oliver screamed at the man.  
“ I think if you replay our conversation in your mind, our bargain was only implied at best”.  
“ Bad guy remember”.  
“ Let them go”.  
“ Oh, I will. Existentially speaking”.  
“ If you do this, you lose any leverage that you have over me”.  
“ Wrong again, as long as they´re alive, you have something to fight for”.  
“ That is what I am taking away from you. Don´t worry it´s painless”.

The ventilation system opened up and gas was blown into the chamber. Oliver broke out of the tight hold the two ghosts had on him and ran to the chamber. He smashed his hand against the glass trying to break it without luck. Oliver could clearly see the fear in Felicity´s eyes as she said “ I love you” over and over again. 

“ Oh, Oliver, don´t worry, there are plenty of fish. If it´s blondes you like, I can have on at your house in twenty minutes tops. One that I won´t kill”.

Oliver helplessly had to watch as his sister, John and the love of his life crumbled to the floor. Their respiratory system was slowly failing and they all three of them were on the verge of losing consciousness. Suddenly a ghost behind him fell to the floor after being hit by an arrow, followed by screeches of the canary, which caused the glass to brake a little bit. Laurel threw one of her batons to Oliver who immediately smashed the glass of the chamber.

After fighting Darhk and his ghosts, Malcolm thanks to Oliver was able to pin down Darhk on the ground with a explosive arrow. The all made it barely out of the building before it collapsed because of the explosion. 

“ Are we sure that Darhk didn´t make it out?”, Laurel asked.  
“ Have you seen any horror movies lately? These guys don´t stay dead”, Felicity said.  
“ Good news is, whatever Darhk had going on there, we lit it up pretty good”.  
“ Where is Merlyn?”, Quentin asked.  
“ Said he had to attend to League business. Can´t believe i´m saying this but I owe him one”.  
“ That said, we all should get some rest for a couple of hours at least”, John said.  
“ Aren´t we supposed to go to that thingy”.  
“ What thingy?” Oliver asked.  
“ It´s a surprise and not yet, we have a few hours until then”, Thea told him.  
“ Fine by me, I´m exhausted and I have a son to get back to”, Felicity stood up and left.  
“ What? A Son?”, Quentin looked confused at Oliver who just smiled and followed his girlfriend.  
“ I´ll explain it to you Dad”, Laurel smiled.

Oliver and Felicity were greeted by a silent loft when the returned home. It was pretty early in the morning but being gone all night they both thought that Donna would´ve waited for them. 

“ Let´s check on Tommy and then go to bed”, Felicity suggested. 

The sighed the were greeted with when the reached the guestroom had them both in awe. Tommy and Donna were cuddled up on the bed both asleep. The photograph Tommy had shown Donna earlier had fallen on the floor. Oliver had noticed the small with piece on the floor and stepped into the room to pick it up. His throat closed as he looked at the photograph of him and Felicity with their kids.

“ What is it”, Felicity whispered and Oliver showed it to her.  
“ It´s us, with Mia and Tommy”.  
“ It must have been taken right after Tommy was born”.  
“ Seems that way. Come on we can talk later, let´s go to bed”, Oliver put the picture on the dresser and both of them left the room.

Oliver already was sprawled out on the bed when Felicity climbed and cuddled up to him. Oliver loved it when she had her head on his chest. He embraced her with his arm and pulled her closer, it always gave him a sense of comfort when she was this close. After a while Felicity drifted of to sleep thanks to his steady heartbeat and it did take long for Oliver to fall asleep either. 

Donna was in the kitchen sitting at the island nursing on a cup of coffee when Tommy came down the stairs.

“ Morning, Donna”, he greeted her.  
“ Morning baby, what do you want for breakfast?”  
“ Sorry to say that Donna, but you aren´t exactly the best cook and it´s more like brunch”.  
“ Message received young man”.  
“ Bacon and eggs okay for you?”, Tommy opened up the fridge to get them.  
“ Are you sure you can cook with your arm?”  
“ That´s no problem, I know how to crack eggs with one hand”.  
“ Okay, don´t hesitate to ask if you need any help”.  
“ Mhm. Oliver and Felicity back yet?”, Tommy asked while he started to crack some eggs.  
“ Yes, they are both still sleeping”.

The first thing Felicity´s sleepy brain noticed was the smell of coffee and bacon. Instead of waking up and getting out of bed she turned around and once again snuggled up to the still sleeping Oliver. He may function on a few hours on sleep but she clearly didn´t, she also liked it that since being together Oliver seemed to sleep longer and longer. Their life became a lot more hectic since they moved back to Star City so those quiet moments in bed where it was just the two of them were quite welcome. 

“ Morning”, mumbled Oliver still with his eyes closed.  
“ Is it bad that I don´t want to get up yet”, Felicity gave him a kiss on the lips.  
“ Don´t think so”, Oliver rolled on top of Felicity which caused her to yell out in surprise.

Their soft kissed turned quickly into a full make out session. Neither of noticed the knock on the door and Donna stepping into the room.

“ Oh, sorry”, Donna quickly turned around.  
“ Nothing is happening, Mom”, groaned Felicity while pushing Oliver off of her.  
“ I just wanted to see if you two were already up. Tommy made breakfast”.  
“ We will be down shortly”.  
“ Alright and just so you both know I have already forgiven you for not telling me that Tommy is my grandson”, Donna left both of them with a surprised look on their faces. 

Later that day all of them were back at the Star City Bay, for a tree lighting ceremony, which according to Thea was Alex´s idea to show the people of Star City that Oliver doesn´t back down.

“ All you got to do is, flick that switch and give a speech”, Alex explained as he handed him the switch.  
“ That´s it”.  
“ We´ll be here waiting for you when you´re done”, Felicity told Oliver.  
“ Nope, you are coming with me”, Oliver grabbed her hand and both went up to the tree.  
“ Thank you. Thank you everyone”, said Oliver after the crowed had stopped applauding.  
“ This week, an event just like this was interrupted by terrorists”.  
“ But all of us are here tonight to send those people a very simple message”.  
“ We are not gonna let the darkness win”.  
“ All of us are here to light a candle together. United”, the crowed cheered and applauded again.  
“ This right there´s possible because of all of you, and I grateful for each one of you”.  
“ There is one person in particular that I am grateful for”, Oliver turned to Felicity.  
“ You. Someone that has stood beside me when times were darkest”.  
“ She is the one who lights my way”, Oliver continued while slowly getting on one knee.  
“ Felicity Smoak, would you make me the happiest man on the face of the earth?”, Felicity weakly nodded still blown away by Oliver´s words.  
“ Yes?”  
“ Yes”, she laughed while Oliver slipped on the ring and stood up so he could kiss her.

The crowed cheered and applauded while Oliver and Felicity left the stage and went back to their friends which both of them considered family. 

“ We meet you back at the loft for some champagne”, Oliver invited them.  
“ Come on Tommy, let´s go”, Felicity held out her other hand.  
“ Quentin and I will take Tommy with us, you two enjoy your togetherness”.  
“ Donna, are you sure?”  
“ Mom”.  
“ Go, go. We see you in a bit”, Donna shushed.  
“ Is that okay for you Buddy?”, Oliver asked before Donna could say something else.  
“ Yeah, it´s not like something is going to happen to me while you are not around”.  
“ Okay, see you in a bit”.

The Loft 1 hour later:

Thea was pacing up and down in the loft, neither of them heard from Oliver or Felicity after the got into the car which was supposed to bring them here.

“ It´s been an hour already, were could they be?”, Thea asked still pacing.  
“ Maybe the needed sometime for themselves in their little bubble”, Donna said.  
“ I tried calling but neither of them picked up”, Laurel was clearly as concerned as Thea was.  
“ I´ll call the precinct, to get some officers on it”, Quentin was about to make the call when Thea´s phone went of in her hand.  
“ Hello...Oliver thank god...where are you...what? We are on our way”, Thea hang up.  
“ Darhk had set up a roadblock, his ghosts shot at the car they were in. The driver is dead”.  
“ Are they okay?”  
“ He just said they are at the hospital before he hung up on me”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments and kudos are appreciated


End file.
